Beyond The Beyond
by GaleSynch
Summary: AU, If waking up in Soul Society—apparently dead and am nothing but a soul now—was a dream, then this was the worst nightmare of my life. Self-Insert, SI / OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Beyond the Beyond**

**Prologue**

:: :: ::

What is there after death?

I'm sure this is a question everyone had asked themselves at least once. Some believe that they'd be reincarnated again; some believe that they'd be in either heaven or hell; some simply wait for the time to come.

I'm open to every choice.

Though, if I were to be reincarnated again, I'd wish to be together with everyone I know again but seeing as we'd probably have our memories wiped out, I'd never know what I'd missed.

My friend said that I shouldn't expect much, we'd face it when the time comes. She was the only one out of our group of friends willing to tolerate my talk about the afterlife and whatever will be there after death.

I listened to her because, well, she's the smartest. She always had an answer to everything—doesn't mean all answers are right though—and she was always well-prepared for anything.

I wished she had told me how to prepare myself for this.

:: :: ::

Sharp, tiny pebbles pressing into my cheek—the tortured spot of skin flaring in pain—was what I woke up to.

It was an extremely uncomfortable position to wake up from. I groaned softly; my first reaction was to push myself away from my source of discomfort. I was sleeping too comfortably to wake up _now_.

I rolled away, brushing away the tiny pebbles that had stuck onto my right cheek. It only resulted in more pain as I rolled right into a boulder.

At least, I assumed it's a boulder judging from the size.

"Ow!" I cried, flinching away. This time, instant of rolling about to be in a more comfortable position, I was pushing myself into a sitting position.

This was unnatural. Why wasn't I in my room?

How did I end up here?

I cracked my eyes open, taking a few moments to process what I was seeing. Why on earth was I on a dusty plain? There was absolutely nothing in sight. All I saw were just the dusty earth and a few dead trees, dried branches and a lot of stones of all sizes.

I grabbed the boulder and heaved myself up to my feet, stumbling as my vision spun.

The sun was glaring down at me harshly. I turned my back from the source of the light, frown on my face as I tried to comprehend my situation.

Maybe this was a dream? There was no such area in my hometown. I pinched myself but to no avail—when I opened my eyes, I was still standing in the middle of nowhere.

"Is this a joke?" I wondered out loud. "Because this isn't funny. I'm not enjoying myself at all."

I clenched my fists, pissed off. No answer came—what had I expected? For my friends to spring out of nowhere and start laughing? Even they wouldn't go this far when they're playing pranks.

And trust me, they would do a lot to prank someone. I had been a victim of the less-vicious ones and I had partaken in the pranking before.

I turned 360-degrees to get a better look at the place. I saw no sign of civilization but I did notice something.

My hair, my jaw-length hair had elongated in my sleep. No way. Now that I was more aware of myself, I finally noticed how odd this situation was.

My pitch-black hair had lightened a few shades—or maybe it was just the light changing its color—but that wasn't the problem, it was the length. It went past my waist. And my body.

I glanced down. "Why am I so small?" I cried. "And what are _these_ clothes?"

I had gone to sleep in my pajamas, not this… one-piece clothing. Looks like a tattered kimono. And it was pink with plum swirls—how girly was that? What a monstrosity. I have to change as soon as my eyes managed to catch sight of a wardrobe.

And I was way taller than this. I could not have shrunk so much! I knew I wasn't the tall type, but to be this small? Really?

What do I do?

Where am I?

It was with these questions plaguing me that prompted me to start moving. I had to find someone and ask for help. I dunno how they'd be able to help me if they're also trapped in this world. But the company of others always helped to lighten the situation, right?

There's safety in numbers, right?

That's what I believed in anyway. But it was my only hope. My only light in this darkness—never mind that the sun was glaring onto my back, you get the point.

I didn't know how long I walked and ran—with a few stops in between—trying to find an end to this.

And I didn't notice this before—but what the fuck is this shitty joke? It's going too far!—I started moving and the clinking sound alerted me of its presence: chains. Around my wrists and ankles. My arms and legs were chained together. There was a considerable distance, so I could still move but it was still troublesome if I wanted to run like lightning.

I was tired, angry, sweating and ready to punch whoever placed me here. "It's not funny anymore," I groaned. "I'm very hungry." On cue, my stomach growled loudly. "Whatever I did to offend you guys, man, I'm sorry. I've repented, can we please go home now?"

My hopefulness was starting to dwindle. I had ran a long ways after all. If my friends had played a prank on me, they would've followed. Do I have to go back there?

No, I'm sure they'd follow. But then—I glanced around—where are they?

Did I lose them? Or did I have a camera on my back, recording my every move and words? I groped my body, but found nothing. But I did notice one thing.

I didn't have breasts, which was weird for a seventeen year old and —

Huh?

I turned, seeing nothing. Huh, I thought I heard a sound reminiscence of a zipper being pulled. Was it my imagination?

Great. I was being desperate enough to hallucinate. Good thing this place wasn't a desert or I would've died long ago, thirsty _and_ hungry.

I quickened my pace.

I can't explain the feeling but—I think it's women's sixth sense—I have a feeling that I should start running for my life.

I tripped and stumbled, unaccustomed to running within this chained state.

I ran for it anyway—just as I heard it:

A tremendous roar that shook the earth and raised the hairs on my arms.

I didn't see the blow—but I sure felt it. How could I not when it resulted in my blood being spilled and large gashes tearing into my back?

A cry of pain escaped my lips as I fell forward, feeling as if my back was on fire. The chains clinked together, making the situation worse for me. Bound, chained and under attack—if this was a dream, then this was the worst fucking nightmare of my life.

A shadow loomed over me and by instinct's bid, I rolled away. I scrambled to my feet—or tried to anyway. I only managed to pull myself into a crouch, it didn't matter if I was in no state to run.

Even if I could, I had been frozen by the sight that greeted my eyes: a monster stood over where I had fallen earlier.

It was a masked monster, a gaping hole in its green chest, its tail was swishing in air, the tip glinting in the sunlight. It turned its head, its empty eyes looked on in confusion at the crater it'd made; it pulled its arms back, one of its claws were bloodied—by my blood.

I didn't dare make a sound, didn't dare breathe or move. I ended up choking, coughing as necessity forced me to breathe in air.

The slightest of sound alerted the monster of my presence.

When it lunged again, bringing its claw down, I took the opportunity to free myself. Well, it was a valiant attempt. Stretched to its limits, the chain was straight and brittle—but it did not shatter, only held the monster where it was.

Belatedly, I realized it was a good thing or I would've been split in half.

Idiot, I berated myself. Did I forget that I was only breathing now because the chain stopped the attack?

Maybe it was useful for something after all.

My arms trembled, I couldn't hold on forever. Already, I was losing this battle of strengths. And—shit! I cussed mentally, how could I forget its pointed tail?

As if reading my mind, the monster's tail appeared within line of sight, shooting straight at me, about to lance my head.

I'm going to die—

The chains shattered and—in an instant—light was everywhere.

I closed my eyes tightly—and let go.

:: :: ::

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of which you recognize.**

**Author's Note;** I wrote this on a whim after reading the 'Red Warrior' by Silver Glory—or whatever she's changed her penname into now. I like how she wrote it, she sparked the old fan of Bleach in me and I decided to write this since I'm on a SI-spree. I'm not sure if I'd continue this since I'm not up to date with the manga.

You can use this as a prologue to your Bleach SI if you want, or you can base your prologue off this and tweak it, just ask for permission and give me the link when you started the story!

If there's popular demand, maybe I'd update a second chapter. _Maybe._

:: :: ::


	2. Chapter 2

**Tite Kubo © Bleach**

* * *

**Beyond the Beyond**

**Chapter 1**

by GaleSynch

* * *

_White and turquoise—snow and sea—flashed before my eyes. I struggled to keep my eyes open but—_

"Are you quite alright?"

Once again—I felt a sense of déjà vu—I found my cheek pressed onto the ground, small pebbles digging into my cheek. There was one small improvement: there was someone there. And, apparently, judging from the tone of voice was a concerned human being.

Yes! I'd be saved.

I tried to push myself up, expecting pain since I remember being slashed from behind by a fucking monster, and actually succeeded without any backlashes.

Looking at my horrible luck since I woke up in this odd place, I was surprised there were no monsters looming over me.

Just to be sure, I cracked an eye open to make sure the one talking to me was human. It was a human—at least, the boy seemed human. I wasn't sure if he wouldn't burst into a monster.

I eyed him warily, pushing myself backward just to be careful.

He was smirking at me—his eyes, an eerie shade of yellow and white seemed to glow in the dark. His skin was a bisque shade and he was very bright—his golden hair messy but he seemed to be rather effeminate, having hairclips holding his bangs back. I'd never seen boys do that.

"Relax," he practically purred. "I'd be the last person on earth to hurt you."

"I don't know you."

He grinned. "Heh. But I know you—that's what that matters." Abruptly, he adopted a stern look. "Ne, don't endanger yourself like that again, OK? I'd come once you call my name. You don't have to put yourself in such extreme situations."

"I told you—I don't know you!"

I was glaring at him now, furious. Where was I? Why am I not at home? What the heck is this place?

I was in what seemed to be a cavern. Glowing a light shade of blue, the flowing blue stream reflected off the smooth navy-blue rocks. Was this an underground water cave? It was dark and the boy was the only person other than me here.

I was frustrated, scared and baffled.

What on earth is going on?

The water rippled—the cavern was shaking. The boy, who I just noticed was standing waist-deep in the water, winced. "Yeesh, just go. Come back when you're in a better mood."

My screamed was swallowed by the rapidly rising water, consuming me under.

I choked, clawing for purchase, to break surface and—

"_Stop thrashing_," a soothing voice pierced through the haze of terror, still muffled, as if she was speaking underwater. "_The worst is over now."_

My eyes flew opened, seeing a woman's kind face hovering over mine. I frowned at her. What's this? A dream within a dream? How does that make sense?

"Who're you?" I croaked, throat tight and scratchy. I was completely and utterly miserable.

Her brows arched. "_Sorry. What did you say_?"

I glanced at her. She… did she just speak in a different language? I looked around—this seemed to be an infirmary. I dont' recognize the green walls and the wooden floorboards. Sheesh. Who uses floorboards when there's cement and tiles now? "Where am I?"

"_I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're saying_."

"What're you talking about? Speak English!"

Ignoring whatever she was babbling, shrugging off her hands on my shoulders, I sat up. The clinking told me that the chains around my feet and hands were still there. I stared blankly at it before I extended my hands to the woman. "Can you help remove these please?"

The woman was frowning, not unhappy, but confused. Her lips were moving and I distinctly heard sounds coming form her mouth. I couldn't understand a damned word.

"_Isane_!" said the woman, the first sound I managed to discern. Then nonsensical sounds followed. I assumed she had called for someone because, just a second later, a silver-haired woman popped into the room. She said something in response and the brunette woman swept away.

I glanced curiously at her grey hair and dark eyes. I had never seen anyone with such hair color. Parts of her hair were longer than the rest and were styled in two twin braids. Cool hairstyle.

She said something.

I stared blankly at her before deciding to try my luck again. "Help me—destroy them!" She looked confused so I decided to use sign language. I seized the chains and made a show of tearing them. I raised my brows hopefully; come on, interpret my expression and action...

She lit up, seeming to have understood something. Instead of running to retrieve a knife or axe, she drew a sword from her side. From her clothes it seemed. I narrowed my eyes, squinting at her attire. Seemed to be Japanese-style. If I wasn't mistaken, that was a katana and her katana had been tied to her obi sash.

Why did she seem so familiar?

I blinked and in and instant, she swung her sword.

I shrieked and jumped back, colliding against the wall. The gray-haired woman shouted something, one hand held up. I didn't bother trying to guess what she was saying. I bolted for the exit. Despite the obvious differences between our cultures (and I was still trying to puzzle out how I ended up in another country like Japan), at least the door operated the same way. Either push or pull will work it.

I tore down the hallway, ignoring the gray-haired woman's cries.

I turned right when I came to a junction and just went on through instincts. I ran blindly, everything blending into a blur of green, brown and black. I saw people similarly garbed as the woman 'Isane', all of them wore some sort of kimono, uniforms—wait, was this the police station?

I was about to stop running, embarrassment settling when I realized I was already safe, but that was when I tripped and fell unceremoniously onto the ground.

The chains around my ankles were a menace.

Someone seized my arm and hauled me to my feet, not gently, but roughly. I cringed. "Look, I'm sorry I ran, but that Isane chick was waving her sword around—" I stopped, blinking and finding myself face-to-face with someone's stomach. It would've been traumatizing enough if I wasn't already lost, confused and clueless, but his hair was silver, his eyes smiling slits and his malicious, foxy grin was something that unnerved me.

My mind went blank, shock painted on my features.

I've never met him.

But I know of him.

Was I lost in a cosplay convention?

No... the likeness... too alike... too similar... this was just—

"_Ichimaru-taicho!_" cried Isane, thin braids flying as I turned to look at her. She shouted something else too as she approached us but the man spun me around to face him, grinning and saying something that didn't register in my brain.

He was too close for comfort.

He wasn't real.

I screamed. It was long, sharp and carried all the fear and confusion I was feeling. The captain pulled back, eventually releasing me when I screamed until the one-minute mark (I can hold my breath for a very long time) had passed. He was probably baffled that I hadn't run even after I was freed, if I was so frightened. Isane's hands fell on my shoulders, pulling me back, trying to shout something over my scream.

"_Gin, you bastard!_" A new voice cried. I stopped screaming when a blur of black and orange shot past me, a slender black-clad leg kicking the foxy captain in the face, temporarily eliminating the threat. _"How dare you scare a little girl like that? Pedophile!"_

_"Wait, Rangiku-san! I can explain!"_ Isane exclaimed, hand shooting out to stop the taller woman before she could beat the captain into oblivion. _"My charge panicked when I swung my sword so she ran out—"_

_"Oh, Isane,"_ sighed the brunette woman from before. I whirled around to face her, realizing that she wasn't alone. I backtracked, stumbling into the orange-haired woman whom I refused to acknowledge as— "_I told you to guard her, not scare her?"_

_"She was asking for help, Unohana-taicho!"_ cried Isane.

Unohana frowned. But it wasn't her who spoke. It was the white-haired male beside her; he was laughably short but I couldn't complain as I was barely as tall as he was. His turquoise eyes were sharp and wary, his arms were crossed but I knew he could move very quickly to subdue me if I proved to be a threat.

_"She can speak our language?"_ he asked.

_"No,"_ said Isane. I wondered what she was saying but I hoped she wasn't asking for permission to kill me. I cast Matsumoto a frightened glance but she tossed me a playful grin. I didn't know what to make of that._ "She looked like she was having trouble with her chains. Struggling to pull them off so I thought I'd help."_

Unohana's gaze fell onto my chains, around my wrists and ankles. _"Little girl, don't panic, okay?"_ Her voice was soothing and I instinctively relaxed. _"We'd try to break it. Isane."_ She motioned to the gray-haired woman.

I jerked when Matsumoto's hands fell on my shoulders. I glanced up, past her enormous busts, teary-eyed at the thought of getting impaled by that pointy sword. _"It's okay,"_ she said. The reassuring grin was easier to decipher than her words.

Isane drew her sword again and motion for me to hold out my hands. I did as told.

_"Is this safe?"_ Hitsugaya—as he looked like that character from that anime series, I shall refer to him as such until I was proven wrong—asked. _"The Hollows in the area were completely decimated. It's obvious they were heading for her."_

Unohana frowned thoughtfully. _"True. I had never seen an untrained soul with so much reiryoku. Her reiatsu would've crushed a weak Hollow."_

_"Do you think she's an enemy spy?"_

_"She's not a Hollow. She's a lost Soul, unfortunate enough to have so much power."_

I braced myself as Isane brought her sword down. Much to my disappointment, nothing happened. I almost wished the chains would shatter and bring me back to that blonde-haired boy in the cave. He was cute and most importantly, he was nice to me even though I hadn't reciprocate. He could also understand what I was saying and vise versa.

_"T-taichou!"_

_"What's wrong, Isane?" _Concern in the brunette's voice.

Isane showed her superiors the sword. Matsumoto nudged me forward and Ichimaru Gin peered over Isane's shoulder in interest. Being the shortest, I couldn't see anything even though I stood on tip-toes._ "My sword's cracked! Ah—a chip fell off!" _Isane shot me a wide-eyed look of awe and terror._ "Those chains are unbreakable!"_

_"Allow me,"_ said Ichimaru, voice as languid as his hand that moved to his katana. He drew it and before I knew it, had delivered rapid quick strikes to the chains cuffing me.

There was a very audible crack. I glanced worriedly at his sword, web-like cracks had spread. I edged away. Matsumoto's grip had loosened enough in shock for me to move away.

_"This is going to take a short while to mend,"_ Ichimaru said, grinning at me.

_"Hitsugaya-taicho, you were the one to find her so may I trouble you with her for a while? I can tell that she's genuinely lost and until she learns to speak our language, we won't learn what happened or how she got here. I would also prefer her to not get dissected by Kurotsuchi-taicho."_

_"Do the rest of the captains know of this?"_

_"No, I plan to inform them soon."_

Unohana smiled disarmingly at me before leaving, Isane at her heels. Hitsugaya shot Ichimaru a frosty look. _"Beat it, Ichimaru."_

The foxy captain pouted but he disappeared into a blur, leaving me alone in the empty hallway with Hitsugaya's cold gaze and Matsumoto who grinned at me. She twisted her hand into my hair. _"Look at this,"_ she crooned. _"Such a rare lilac color!"_ She maneuvered me back, forcing me into the sunlight that flitted in through the windows. _"It's turned gold!"_

I glanced back, uneasy. I was taken aback by the long curls of lilac hair. This settled it: I wasn't in my own body. I was in the body of some poor unfortunate soul.

Is this even a body? I thought only souls existed in Soul Society. Wouldn't that mean I had inhabited another's soul?

I was baffled; my brain coughed and spluttered blood.

If waking up in Soul Society—apparently dead and am nothing but a soul now—was a dream, then this was the worst nightmare of my life.

I should sit down—I slid to the ground, shocked—close my eyes, breathe—inhale, exhale—

This is just a nightmare.

I'd wake up.

My eyes rolled into the back of my head and I crumpled to the ground.

**~X~**

It was warm and comforting.

It had turned into a habit, waking up before seven, so I still have a lot of time before I had to go to school. Besides, I lived near it... even if I slept in...

"_Ah, you're awake?_"

Huh? That was not my mother's voice. No, she wouldn't be in my room. She knew I need no help waking up in time for school. And this scent... I wrinkled my nose, forcing my eyes open despite the temptation to sleep a little longer. I reached up to rub my eyes of sleepiness.

I pushed myself up, squinting through the piercing light to see who—

White hair and turquoise eyes—_snow and sea_—greeted me and everything from before came crashing down onto me. I rubbed my eyes furiously, glanced at him again, before burying my face into my hands with a loud groan—the chains clicked against one another, providing some form of discomfort.

_"You're loud. Can you keep quiet? I'm trying to do my work."_ I glanced at him quizzically and he sighed. _"Just don't cause any trouble. Honestly, if I hadn't owed Unohana a favor, you would've been sitting in a cell or in Kurotsuchi's lab..."_

His tone was impatient and annoyed. I guess he didn't like me so I set my hands down in my lap, gripping the fabric of my kimono tightly, and stilled. I only turned my head to look around. The office was also painted the lame green of what I'd seen so far of the interior building—honestly, they have no sense of creativity.

Thinking about ordinary, normal things calmed me down slightly. Critiquing their lack of creativity was normal... I wished my situation was normal though.

I worried my lip, glancing around the room, searching for an exit just in case I needed it—let me tell you, that white-haired midget looked really threatening despite his appearance and I—

I moved before my brain even registered what was happening. The katana slid into the spot I was occupying moments before. I was so shocked I didn't even realize I had fallen to the ground. I stared at the lunatic, terrified._ "W-what are you trying to do?"_

He lunged again.

I tensed, but this time, I didn't try to run blindly. I ducked, twisted out of the way and seized his wrist, intending to disarm him—I didn't like his katana, I was squeamish about sharp things or anything that might potentially cause me harm or pain—but he threw me off easily.

My physical strength was nothing against his.

He flexed his wrist from where I had tried to twist it; his katana glinted in the light of his movement. I sprang to my feet, shifting backward. My only way out was through the door or the window. The latter led to the outdoors, more space, which would be easier for me to maneuver but he was moving to block it.

What was wrong with him?

Didn't that kind lady specifically told him to keep me out of harm's way?

I contemplated letting his katana connect with the chains, let him try breaking it. If the other two's katana had cracked and chipped because of it, the chains must have _some_ use.

He started forward just as the door flew open.

_"Taicho!"_ It was Matsumoto. I could just kiss her. She blinked, gaping at the upturned coffee table that I'd tripped over and the stuffing on the surface of the once-perfect sofa. I gripped the white fabric tighter, shooting her pleading looks._ "Er... taicho, what're you doing?"_

_"...I just want my haori back."_

_"And you need your sword for that?"_ Rangiku sounded skeptical, she arched a brow in askance. _"She looks scared out of her wits."_

_"You be careful around her,"_ grunted Hitsugaya. _"She can dodge my sword and even tried to retaliate. I wonder what she can do when unchained..."_

I eyed him warily when he stepped closer. I didn't try to run because Rangiku was there. She looked nice, she would probably help me. He extended a hand, his eyes glued to the piece of cloth I was holding.

Oh... I glanced at the haori and at his current attire. Without it, he really did look odd. I stood, tossed it at him before darting to where Rangiku stood, edging behind her warily.

_"Aw, how cute! Ne, taicho, can she sleep in my room?"_ Rangiku looked excited.

_"She's not a bolster,"_ Clearly, Hitsugaya didn't share the same sentiment._ "And what makes you think she'd listen to you? Someone should teach her stranger danger,"_ he grumbled. Man, he was worse than my grandmother.

_"Oh, yeah,"_ Rangiku turned to me, friendly grin on her face. _"What's your name?"_

I stared blankly at her. _"What—is—your—name?"_ I felt insulted. She pronounced her words slowly and carefully, as if I were a particularly idiotic three-year-old.

_"See? You made her unhappy,"_ Hitsugaya said, annoyed. _"You're handling her if she cries."_

Rangiku growled, shooting her superior dark looks as he shrugged on his haori. _"Grr... if you're such a genius, get her to tell us her name then."_

Hitsugaya scowled at her then he shifted a darker version of his scowl to me. He sighed. "_Look, kid. Hitsugaya._" I raised my head at the familiar sound. He was pointing at himself, a mildly annoyed frown on his face. "Hit—su—gaya."

I laughed at how ridiculous he sounded. A vein popped. _"YOU LITTLE—"_

"Hitsugaya!" I repeated, chortling. "I get it."

His anger caught and faltered, spluttering to a spot. Rangiku crowed. _"How did it feel, taichou? Is it like hearing your baby's first word?"_

Hitsugaya scowled. _"Don't be ridiculous, Matsumoto. Now, what's your name?"_

_"Just because she pronounced your name doesn't mean—"_

_"Hitsugaya,"_ he repeated, finger at himself. Now he pointed at me. _"You?"_

I realized what he was asking pretty quickly. "Alice—I'm Alice!"

_"Er, what did she say, taicho?"_ Rangiku looked clueless. She tilted her head to the side, inspecting me with a confused smile.

_"Arisu,"_ declared Hitsugaya._ "That's her name."_ His pronunciation was odd but at least he got my name.

Rangiku grinned at me, sauntering over and taking my small hand in her larger ones. Her palms were callused, proof that she'd been training with her katana. _"Matsumoto Rangiku. It's nice to meet you, Arisu-chan!"_

Hitsugaya shot me a withering look. _"Don't get attached."_ His voice was as cold as ice._ "She might be an enemy for all we know."_

I didn't understood what he said but I took one look at Rangiku's face and knew that it had not been a nice thing to say. _"Let's go,"_ said Rangiku, grin returning, the dark look fading. _"I'll show you our room!" _She paused, leaned in and sniffed._ "But first, you need a bath. You stink!"_

**~X~**

The chains were cool against my body. For once, I was glad for it because it appeared to be summer in Seireitei. I had noticed a handy feature of the chains—it could elongate to some length and was long enough for me to be able to wear clothes over them.

Even though I wasn't one of their own, Rangiku fitted me out in one of her uniforms that she'd outgrown. The chains were wrapped around my forearms and torso, a natural cooler.

"Is this okay?" I asked. "I'm not even a Soul Reaper."

Rangiku didn't understand a word I was saying. She just ruffled my hair and led me out of the hot spring. I saw various other Soul Reapers who cast us odd looks but didn't stop us. She was talking a mile a minute, pointing whenever we came to a split in the hallways.

I prided myself in being capable of memorizing the way from the hotspring to Hitsugaya's office. He glared at us the moment we entered. "_Oi! Matsumoto, do your work!"_ He jabbed his thumb at the large stack of paperwork. The orange-haired woman groaned loudly.

She complained loudly but Histugay's voice, _"And while we're on the list of your numerous slights, why is Arisu dressed in Shinigami clothing?"_ in chilling tones cut through the warm atmosphere Rangiku was trying to build.

I glanced quizzically at him, sitting down beside Rangiku, determined to not let that cold attitude bother me.

_"I have no other clothes and I didn't want to waste money."_

Hitsugaya sighed. _"Right. Get on with your paperwork."_

Rangiku grumbled but she eventually picked up her brush and started going through the large stack of papers, pouting. Then she noticed me looking. _"Hey, Arisu, you wanna help me?"_ I blinked. _"Here! Just stamp these—they just need approving."_ I took the stamp from her, staring blankly down at the stack she dumped in front of me.

It was quite obvious to me what she wanted me to do but I'm not sure where to stamp. I saw two blank spaces below. I nudged Rangiku. "Here?" I wondered, pointing to the right space.

Rangiku shook her head and tapped the left spot. _"Here."_

We worked in tandem for quite awhile. I did the job assigned to me absentmindedly, mind drifting away. No one here understood English, all of them speaking Japanese. I need to find a way to communicate with them and beg for help—I didn't want to stay here.

I want to go home. I sure hope Unohana would vouch for me. I wasn't a danger to them, I just ended here on some psycho freak accident.

I worried my lip even as my hand moved automatically to stamp one paper after another. I didn't bother trying to read the words, it made as much sense to me as chimpanzee-speak.

It was quite fun to stamp and stamp—my mind whirring for a way to escape this nightmare, I knew this was only a temporary solution. My heartbeat picked up in speed as I tried to think of all that would happen if they decided to experiment on me. How do I get it through their heads that I'm innocent?

So lost in thought, I was startled when Rangiku threw her hands up into air and let out a frustrated yell. _"I'm going out for a drink!"_ And she darted off. Her superior shouted something at her but she didn't even glance back.

Hitsugaya fell back into his chair with a sigh. He massaged his temples, only cracking an eye open to look at me when he realized I was staring for long.

_"You, deliver the papers."_

He sighed even louder when he realized he needed to use universal sign language to get his order through.

I grinned sheepishly.

**~X~**

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**[A/N]: **To make up for the extremely short prologue, here is a 4k+ chapter. Italics mean speeches that Arisu doesn't understand. I made it so because I think it's funny. I was reading 07-ghost and the scene between the Antwort sklave twins inspired this also. I also noticed how OC's sent into the Bleach world understood Japanese perfectly. There'd be an explanation as to why in later chapters. Any suggestions as to how Toshiro and Arisu can bond? :P

**Review!**

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**[]**


	3. Chapter 3

**Tite Kubo © Bleach**

* * *

**Beyond the Beyond**

**Chapter 2**

by GaleSynch

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I glanced down at the hastily drawn map Hitsugaya-taicho had given me. From the tenth division to this other division. It was quite far and since there was little space to draw in further detail, I had to make do and keep squinting at the small landmarks.

Right. I already past that willow tree and pond. I should be heading east now.

It was useless. I had already circled this place at least twice. I think it's time to stop someone and ask for help. I looked around before deciding to stop the bald Shinigami. "Excuse me, but can you tell me how to get here?" I spoke out of reflex. Who knows, maybe one of them had the ability to speak multiple languages?

"Hah?" The bald Soul Reaper glared at me. _"What the heck do ya want?"_

I pointed at the small map. "Here. This place. How to get there, sir?"

_"What the heck is she saying?"_ hissed the bald man's companion.

_"No idea... Wait, I think she's trying to ask us how to get there."_

_"Which division are you from?"_

I stared blankly at them. I tapped my destination insistently. "Please?"

_"Okay, girl, head right,"_ said a short-haired Shinigami. Fortunately, he pointed as he directed me.

I tossed him a grin. "Thanks!" I made it to the other division rather quickly. I'm actually rather surprised that Hitsugaya allowed me to wander around unsupervised. It had been three days since Unohana assigned me to Hitsugaya and just last night, there had been a captain meeting. I wondered if they'd discussed about my situation.

I guess, to them, I was just a new Soul with unusually strong Reiryoku. I think this is a good think. It means that they wouldn't try to dissect me even though I speak a completely different language.

I sighed. This would also be bad because I would not be able to get help then. I pursed my lips in thought as I strode down the hallway.

If I'm going to be stuck here for awhile, with no help until my family and friends back home realized I was gone and launched a search (through spiritual means I hope because I doubt science can help so much now), I might also need to learn their language to make things easier for both parties.

It would definitely be useful to communicate—especially since I'd need help asking for directions.

"Thank you," I told the baffled Soul Reaper who had been willing to point and mime directions to this captain's office. I turned around the corner, spotting the aforementioned door. I lit up when I finally reached it. I knocked enthusiastically. "Hey, I—"

The door clicked open. I jerked back, surprised. Purple-black hair in a bun and warm brown eyes, pale skin and slender stature. I peered past her and saw a brown-haired, brown-eyed man with glasses perched on his nose. He raised his eyes to look at me.

To those whose eardrums I destroyed, I apologize: I was just running from a serious threat. He was a demonic man, I had to make an escape; I didn't care how crazy I looked when I took off screaming my head off after throwing the stack of paperwork I was carrying into Momo's face.

**~X~**

The sun had fully set by the time Hitsugaya found me. I doubted he would look for me if he wasn't making sure I wasn't up to something fishy and potentially dangerous to his beloved Soul Society.

_"What're you doing?"_

I'm assuming he was asking what I was doing. How often do you find someone hiding in a warehouse full of extra Shinigami clothes? "Hiding," I answered.

Hitsugaya made an impatient sound. _"I sent you to the Fifth Division and what did you do? You're as useless as Matsumoto. Honestly."_ He facepalmed, shaking his head, I could tell he was disappointed in me for some reason or other. _"Why were you screaming? What scared you?"_

He waited for a few seconds that took him to realize I didn't understand what he was saying. I stretched my stiff legs in front of me. I had been hiding here for a few hours I think.

It was so easy to lose track of time when I'm thinking of the life I was forced to leave behind. I wanted so badly to speak their language, to be able to get help from them. I was sure there had to be a solution to this. Mom always said that 'when there's a will, there's a way'—corny but it's all I can hold on to.

_"Hey, you... are you crying?"_

I looked up, detecting the change in tone. His face had softened slightly. _"Was it something I said?"_ He crouched beside me. His arm rose but spasmed and fell, as if he was unsure about doing anything. I stared at him. He pointed at his eyes, miming the action of wiping tears.

"Miss my family." I missed my mother mostly. I pointed at my stomach and waved. "My mom. You know—the woman who gave birth to me?"

I think I got something across because his face had look of dawning realization. _"You're pregnant?!"_ He seized my shoulders and pulled me to my feet. I was weak-kneed from sitting in one spot and wallowing in self-pity and fear for so long. He didn't seem to notice, he hauled me out of the warehouse and started running.

"Hey!"

_"I'll get you to Unohana!"_ He threw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, ignoring my indignant cry. In a split second, the world blurred. I seized his haori, feeling violently ill at abrupt and quick movement. The journey lasted only a few minutes at most but it might've been hours to me.

"Put me down," I groaned weakly.

He dropped me but grabbed my arm and started dragging me to where I vaguely recalled Unohana's office was located. She often worked in the infirmary so I suppose he was bring me there. Though I wonder why he was so adamant in making me meet her. Maybe he mistook my red eyes for conjunctivitis?

_"Unohana!"_ cried Hitsugaya, throwing the doors open. _"It's Arisu—she says she's pregnant—at her age—it's simply dis—"_

_"Hitsugaya-taicho, will you please explain who Arisu is first?"_ I glanced over and saw Isane's baffled expression. I wiggled my fingers at her. _"She's Arisu? Er... then what did you mean by pregnant?"_ She dropped the plate she was holding. _"No wa—"_

_"Come here, Arisu,"_ Unohana's calm voice cut through the babbles of nonsense from both sides and held out her hands for me to take. Her hand glowed a soft green hue as she moved her right hand over my chest to my abdomen. I gazed at her quizzically.

_"Boy or girl?"_ Isane's tone told me she was asking something and she sounded anxious. I think she misunderstood something.

Unohana cleared her throat, amused smile tilting her lips. _"She's not pregnant. You must've misinterpreted what she was trying to say."_ She patted my head, chuckling a the sighs of relief from the other two. _"Perhaps she's trying to tell you that she can eat a lot now that she's ravenous."_

_"Right,"_ drawled Hitsugaya, a slight blush to his cheeks. I saw Isane spotting the same embarrassed expression and wondered what had happened. _"Come on, Arisu."_

_"Hitsugaya-taicho,"_ called Unohana as we turned to leave, I trotted obediently to Hitsugaya. _"I would recommend you teach her our language along with the four combat skills of the Shinigami. Good night."_ She smiled as we closed the door in her face.

"What happened?" I wondered aloud even though he didn't understand.

_"Honestly, don't make such easily misunderstood actions,"_ Hitsugaya told me, his tone admonishing. He sighed heavily, turning away. _"Why did the Chief stick you with me? I'm always landed with the most troublesome jobs..."_ He glanced at me. _"Still,"_ he murmured, voice so soft I almost didn't hear him. "_It's nice to have someone smaller than me in the same room."_

It sounded like a nice thing to say.

I tilted my head to the side and examined him, smiling.

**~X~**

"Arisu!"

I glanced up at the call of my name—even though they still pronounced it oddly. "Yes?" It had been over a week since I appeared in this world and I was starting to get used to life with Rangiku and Hitsugaya.

Speaking of which, the latter of the two was glaring at me. _"Are you listening?"_

I admire his determination, honestly. Being a teacher to someone who you can't understand is troublesome. If I were assigned to teach a kid who couldn't speak my language, I would've ended up killing the kid long ago. Especially when it was so obvious that the student wasn't paying attention.

I stared at Hitsugaya, grinning and he sighed, closing the book. _"Right, that's it for today. You're finishing page three to five, I want it tomorrow."_ He gave me three seconds to digest this information, I nodded even though I was uncertain about what he wanted me to do. _"Come on, let's go to the dojo now. We're having Hakuda lessons today."_

He had a pleasant voice even though I didn't know what he was saying all of the time.

He motioned for me to follow him. When Rangiku made to follow, he pinned her down with a glare. "_I want the paperwork done by the time we get back."_ I could guess from his stern tone and Rangiku's groan that he had just ordered her to finish their share of paperwork.

_"Hakuda,"_ said Hitsugaya the moment we were in the empty dojo. The rest of the Soul Reaper had cleared out pretty quickly when Hitsugaya ordered them to, most of them shooting him terrified looks. Other than the brief hardening of his expression, he showed no other reaction to that. I don't know why they're so scared, they hadn't done anything wrong if they're training.

I refocused my attention on Hitsugaya, studying his expression and his tone of voice to decipher what he wanted. _"—is a close-combat style of fighting, in which one is unarmed and uses only one's body, and is one of the four basic fighting styles of the Shinigami. Captain Suì-Fēng of the 2nd Division excels in this style. High-speed Taijutsu attacks are used to overwhelm the opponent."_

I recognized the word Hakuda and knew, basically, what Hitsugaya-taicho was talking about. I nodded to show my understanding.

He motioned me forward. _"Attack me."_ He slid into a stance I recognized to be that of self-defense.

Wait. He wanted me to just attack him and strike him with not prior instruction? After a few seconds of pondering, I suppose this would be the smartest course of action as explaining it would be useless since I wouldn't understand.

I lunged. He deflected most of my strikes. I took up karate and taekwondo but I eventually dropped out and stopped practicing so I was quite rusty.

I showed him three subtle feints and he committed hard to the third when I slid close enough; I twisted sideways and struck the back of his knee. He staggered; I knew he had not used those Shinigami speed to spar which was how I'd landed a hit. I slammed both palms onto the ground and twisted my whole body, legs kicking.

Hitsugaya jumped out of the way but I didn't mind. I was testing this body's speed, agility and strength. Hm, this body was considerably fitter than my previous body. I somersaulted backward, delighted, I hadn't been able to do this in a long time ever since I, er, put on weight.

I darted toward him again, feinting only occasionally. He attacked suddenly, retaliating with quick and precise blows, pushing me back as I ducked, sidestepped and twisted out of the way. Thrice I felt the breeze from the force of his swinging fist brush my cheek. I deflected the third blow and stepped in, trying to deliver a counterattack to his ribs but he defended and hopped away.

I knew I had to keep playing on the offensive.

With a sigh, I lunged again.

**~X~**

_"You're doing good, but you'd still be defeated in a purely Hakuda fight because of your slow speed. Hoho is the next most essential thing you should learn."_ Hitsugaya paused, sighed and ran a hand through his hair. _"How do I teach you that? You don't understand anything."_

"Hoho," I repeated the only comprehensible word he was speaking. "Hoho? What about it?"

"Hoho," said Hitsugaya and he blurred, disappearing from his original spot. _"Gather Reishi beneath the soles of your feet and push off."_

He disappeared again, his form blurring as he moved at a speed too fast for the ordinary human eye. I crouched, closing my eyes and trying to concentrate on summoning the Spiritual Particles toward me. Tiny blue bubbles, petals, forming beneath my feet.

I felt goosebumps rising, the hair on the back of my neck stood. Trembling slightly, I pushed off. Someone grabbed my arm and stopped me—for which I was grateful for—as I was about to super-speed right into the wall.

_"Okay, so you understand."_ His eyes narrowed slightly, a calculating look in them._ "But not too quick. Try again."_ When I didn't move, he steered me away from the wall and disappeared to the other side of the dojo. He made a 'come here' motion.

I glanced down at my feet, trying to summon the Spiritual Particles again. It took me a few tries as it kept slipping away but once I managed it, I darted toward him.

For the next few hours, I Flash-Stepped around the dojo. The reason why I escaped so many bruises and broken bones was because Hitsugaya was there to stop me before I ran into the wall. Once I managed to stop myself from crashing on my own, Hitsugaya demonstrated the combined use of Hakuda and Hoho.

I didn't do too well.

Hoho was hard to master and more often than not, I ended up barreling into the snow-haired captain or tripped and fell. It was like skating on ice, except that I barely need to move my feet to kiss the ground.

For the thirtieth time that hour, I pushed myself up, groaning as I rubbed my sore nose. If there was one thing I learned, it was that this body was extremely durable. Even though tears of pain did well up and I even sniffled like a baby _twice_, that did not count—this body was the crybaby, not me.

_"Alright,"_ said Hitsugaya, sighing. I looked up at him to see his lips twisted into a wry smile. I blinked and it was gone. _"Stand up. We're going back to the barracks."_

He extended a hand. I stared at it. He made an impatient sound. Laughing nervously, I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet.

Someday, we'd understand one another. This language barrier would be broken down soon.

**~X~**

While Hitsugaya did his paperwork, I alternated between learning katanaka and helping Rangiku stamp approvals to one thing or another. The amount of paperwork assigned to the captain and his lieutenant was ridiculous. Where's the secretary when you need one?

Absentmindedly, I tightened the laces around my arms. They held up my Shinigami uniform. Rangiku had one custom made for me, my chains were now dangling in front of me instead of being stuffed inside my kimono. But this meant large slits in my sleeves down the forearm that the other Shinigami didn't have.

Black laces wouldn't have stood out as much but Rangiku insisted on laces that match my eyes, which, I just learned, were amethyst. Yep. Definitely not normal, definitely not my body. Rangiku suggested a skirt kimono like Nemu Kurotsuchi's, but I shot down that idea and insisted I wear the hakama they all wear, which meant that the chains around my ankles were causing some mild discomfort down there but it was worth it.

Besides, it was cooling.

_"By the way, taicho,"_ said Rangiku and I looked up. She waved me away, making it clear she wasn't talking to me and I turned my attention back to the characters, ears pricked and still hearing. You couldn't blame me for hoping I'd suddenly develop an ability to understand them. _"How are you going to teach her Kido spells?"_

_"I'm leaving that to you."_

_"EH? I don't have the patience for that!"_

_"Tough luck,"_ grumbled Hitsugaya.

_"Er, how about this? I'd finish your share of paperwork if you teach her."_

_"I thought you liked her?_

_"But I don't like teaching! I don't even know whether she's listening to me or not!"_

_"And you think she understands what I'm saying?"_ Hitsugaya retorted, a vein popping.

Suddenly, Rangiku slammed her fists on the wooden table. I jumped away from her, startled. "What the—"

_"I got it!"_ cried Rangiku, seizing my arm and hauling me out of there before I could so much as protest.

**~X~**

Five minutes later, Rangiku and I were in the dojo. I felt uncomfortable under the stares and whispers of the other 10th Division's Soul Reapers. Rangiku was setting up dummies for target practice, since she was going to teach me Kido. I was quit excited to learn.

This body could probably do it since I already accomplished Shunpo—as jerky and stiff my movements were. I glanced down at the paper, she had me reading. It was an incantation. "Arisu!" barked Rangiku and I looked up, acknowledging her call with a hum. She grinned at me. _"Watch."_

She whipped around, hand outstretched, palm upwards. "_Kunrinsha yo! Chiniku no kamen, banshō, habataki, hito no na o kansu mono yo! Shinri to sessei, tsumi shirame yume no kabe ni wazuka ni tsume o tate yo_!" A ball of blue energy I recognized as — "**Hado No. 33: Shokatsui!**"

A wave of blue blinded me momentarily; it connected with the dummy and it disintegrated. "That's awesome!" I cried, clapping along with the other Soul Reapers.

Rangiku pointed at me. _"Now it's your turn."_ She tapped the paper. _"Just recite it. Your accent's odd but as long as you get it right, it should be no problem."_

I nodded. I'm sure she's asking me to try but even though she didn't specifically ask for that, I want to try. I slipped into the stance she assumed minutes ago, I glanced at her uncertainly and she nodded. I raised my palm. I wouldn't be able to pronounce the Japanese incantation if my life depended on it.

But, I do know of its English version.

"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. **Way of Destruction No. 33: Blue Fire, Crash Down!**"

I would've been embarrassed by the stares and murmurs—which I assume was because of the foreign words I was speaking. But I was too concentrated on the blue energy gathering on my palm. Fascinated, I raised it to my face, examining it.

Rangiku shouted in alarm, tackling me. She grabbed my arm and forcefully turned it, making me direct it upward. _"Why are you pointing it in your face? Do you want to die so much? Release it!"_ I tried to release the spell but nothing happened, it kept growing in size and power; it seemed to be superglued to my palm and I started panicking, flailing my arms wildly.

"Help!"

_Imagine a spring_, hissed a voice inside my head.

I blinked. What?

_A spring—tighter, pull the energy in and coil—_ I braced myself, trying to imagine caging the energy in. It seemed to work because it stopped growing in size. But it was growing steadily hotter, burning into my skin. _Now unleash it, it works like a spring, pull it in and it bounces out—_

True to the voice's words, the moment I let loose, the spell exploded outward, bursting through the roof and sending me crashing onto the floor.

I was dazed, tired.

The last thought I entertained before I passed out was that I hope they don't make me pay for the collateral damage.

**~X~**

I was in that world again. My mindscape but there was a huge difference. In the middle of the lake where he once stood, the boy sat on a grand boat made entirely out of crystal, it glowed pink, purple and blue. It was arguably one of the most beautiful boat I've ever seen (which didn't say much as I rarely saw boats).

The boy waved at me, grinning. "Get on!"

Seeing as I have no other option, I did as told. I was anxious to talk to him anyway; he spoke English and I was desperate for someone to understand me.

"You're my Zanpakuto, right?"

He nodded, eyes flickering. "Yeah, my name's Hikaru!"

"Really?" I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "Why are you so willing to give me your name? All the Zanpakuto's I saw in the series act all high and mighty and play hard to get."

Hikaru wasn't offended. He laughed good-naturedly. "Well, I'm a different case." He sounded a tad wistful when he said it and I wondered if it was my imagination. "You just don't see enough Zanpakuto to tell there're different kinds. Some might have no names to offer because they don't think you're worthy, while some are as willing as me."

"I think it's odd," I murmured. "I mean, Zanpakuto's are part of the soul—"

"Not really," Hikaru cut in, not rudely. "Take that Hitsugaya and Kusaka, they have the same Zanpakuto. Did that mean they share the same soul? No. Like I said, we're all different. There are some special cases that have yet to be exposed."

"Care to share?"

Hikaru smiled cryptically. "Sorry, no. That's not my secret to tell."

I huffed. But I decided not to pursue that topic. I didn't care. I had my mind on more important things. "How do we get home?" I blurted out, not in the mood for small talk.

"No idea," said Hikaru, sounding too happy for someone in a dilemma.

"Excuse me?" Here was someone who finally understood me and he was acting nonchalant about it. I was tempted to throttle him. "There has to be a way!"

"Not now, no," Hikaru said consolingly, perhaps sensing my crushing despair. "I'm thinking of it. And maybe you can formulate your own hypothesis. Or if we go to the Human world and you can get your hands on a cellphone, you can call your mom's phone number." He sounded like he doubt it would work.

I understood what he meant. "Well, then—" I paused, hearing something squeaking incessantly. "What's that?" I asked.

Hikaru winced as if I'd just insulted him. Sighing, he shifted, revealing that he was sitting on something... someone. "You sat on a kid?" I deadpanned. I wasn't too worried though, whatever existed here wasn't real, just a spirit and I knew the toddler wasn't exactly a baby.

The toddler squealed, pushing himself up into a sitting position. His cheeks were flushed from being deprived of air for so long (maybe) and he looked quite cute with hair so black it was purple peeking out from his nightcap and amber eyes large and long-lashes brushed his cheekbones plumped with baby fat. His shirt was too large and his sleeves covered his hands entirely.

"Who's he?"

Hikaru sighed, annoyed. "He's Arisa's Zanpakuto."

"Arisa?" I wondered.

"You know, the original form of that body." He was looking at me.

"Original form?" I was growing increasingly confused.

"You do know that everyone in Soul Society are souls, right?" I nodded to show my understanding. Hikaru continued, "Well, Arisa is a soul and so are you, when you're transported here. Your soul has no form when you came here so, seeking to survive, you latched onto her, another soul. That's why your spiritual energy is twice of the ordinary. You assumed Arisa's appearance with little changes but her conscienceless was eradicated. You lost your appearance, she lost her mind."

"Is she still here?" I wondered.

Hikaru shrugged. "Since I'm—forced—to share this world with him, I'm assuming so." He sounded miserable. Was that toddler spirit so bad?

"About the chains—"

"Right," said Hikaru, clearing his throat. "That's me. When your soul went through dimensions to get here, it... well, cracked. The small shard that fell away was me, because you already merged with Arisa, I only latched onto the outer shell of the soul, I became the chains. That is your Zanpakuto's released state: in Shakai mode already. We don't have a Sealed state. We're not Asauchi since we're not forged by Oetsu Nimaiya. Arisa's Zanpakuto is abnormally well-defined," he added.

"What's your special ability?" I asked, curious.

"I'm a support-type Zanpakuto," answered Hikaru sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "I can heal and distract an opponent, but only for awhile."

"That's good," I said. "Healing is a good ability. Like, it's used to save people who save people!"

"It's useless if you can't exactly fight," Hikaru cut in negatively, looking uncomfortable. "Those chains can only block so much. It's not cut out for fighting." He wasn't looking at me but I noticed how he was staring at Arisa's Zanpakuto.

"...Do you think I can—"

"I don't like sharing," said Hikaru disapprovingly. I looked at him and he sighed. "But for the sake of self-preservation, I'm willing to step aside. I'm warning you though, it's not advisable to use two Zanpakuto at a time. I don't know his name, he can't speak, only baby-talks and unless you understand that..."

"How's he going to tell me his name?"

"I don't think he can," said Hikaru carefully. "His powers were never meant for you. I'm not even sure if he's a Kido-type or one capable of offensive abilities."

"I see," I muttered, glancing at the toddler spirit that was currently doing cartwheels in the air. "Um—"

"If I got anything, I'll contact you, okay?"

And the world fell out from beneath me.

**~X~**

I woke with a strangled yell. Damn, for one moment, I thought I was choking on water. I looked around, noticing that I was once again, sleeping in the office's couch. "Rangiku?" I called, tired, throat parched for water.

It was already night. What was I thinking? She's probably gone.

_"She's not here,"_ answered a raspy voice. I sat up and turned.

"Taicho!" Hitsugaya looked tired. Judging from the pile of papers around him, Rangiku had slacked off. Again. I had been asleep for hours it seemed.

I flopped back onto the sofa, gazing at the ceiling. The room was dark. Dark... wait, didn't that mean the Captain was dozing off here?

I shifted and my chains clinked in response to that movement. I raised my arms, looking at the chains. It was troublesome and Hikaru didn't reveal how I can break it.

The words drew themselves out of my mouth before I properly registered them.

"**O soothing light, shine—Hikaru!**"

**~X~**

* * *

**[A/N]: **Don't worry, she won't be OP or anything. The number of weapons is meaningless if one doesn't have the skill but of course, Arisu won't be totally useless either. Just... wait and see.

Answer to guest reviews:

to Mai &amp; anima: Thanks for the review!

**Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Tite Kubo © Bleach**

_Italics _means that the characters are speaking in Japanese. Except for conversations between Arisu and her Zanpakuto.

* * *

**Beyond The Beyond**

**Chapter 3**

by GaleSynch

* * *

Hitsugaya was in front of me in a matter of minutes. Any sign of weariness had faded and when I sat up, I realized that I felt... energized. I wasn't as sore as earlier or as tired. Hikaru wasn't lying then, when he said that he could heal and energize those in the area.

_"You activated your Zanpakuto?"_ Hitsugaya said.

I shrugged, telling him that I didn't know what he was saying.

_"Light,"_ muttered Hitsugaya to himself as he strode across the office and slapped the switch; light flooded the office and he made his way back to his seat, starting to work on the paperwork with renewed vigor. "_She said light."_ He noticed me staring at him and he waved me away. "You're dismissed."

The last two words I understand particularly well because it had been repeated countless times in front of me before. I saluted him. "G'night."

He shot me a brief look before turning his attention back to his paperwork.

:: :: ::

I saw little of Hitsugaya the next day. Rather, it was Rangiku who took me on a grand tour of Soul Society. She was pointing the division buildings out to me when a Hell Butterfly appeared. I didn't understand what it was talking about but Rangiku gasped as if she'd seen particularly horrifying.

"What's wrong?" I asked, frowning.

_"Come on,"_ she said. _"I've got to go to the Josei Shinigami Kyōkai meeting! I'm already thirteen minutes late! No wonder Unohana-taicho sent a Hell Butterfly for me!"_ She shot off, leaving me staring after her.

I guess this is my cue to go back to the 10th division and wander around the office. I didn't feel comfortable going to any part of Soul Society without Rangiku so I pivoted on my heel and started my way back to the 10th division building. I was standing in front of the 11th division building—a dangerous thing to do.

_Stop jinxing yourself,_ hissed Hikaru.

It was rare that he ever did it but occasionally, Hikaru would pop up and say hi. I had yet to hear a word from Arisa's Zanpakuto and Hikaru didn't make any progress about opening dimensions. I was praying and holding out hope that Arisa's Zanpakuto can do that.

After all, there had to be a reason why my soul latched onto hers and merged. She must have something in her! And that toddler Zanpakuto was my only hope even though he seemed pretty useless in my eyes. The second time I visited my inner-world, I saw him playing with his own drool and trying to tag Hikaru with it.

Hikaru was absolutely disgusted and had thrown him into the waters. He had not surfaced for the rest of my visit. I wondered if he'd drown, permanently. I didn't really care about him but if he truly held the answers to getting back, I would be very sorry indeed.

True to Hikaru's warning, something snagged my collar and hauled me back. I let out a strangled yell of shock as I was pulled backward, right into the 11th division.

I dug my heels into the ground. "Stop it," I said angrily, twisting around and wrenching myself out of the harsh grip. I was slightly insulted to see someone smaller than me pulling me around. She had pink hair and dark eyes, a pout was forming on her face at my angry rejection.

_"But I need a partner!"_

"I don't understand what you're saying," I responded stiffly, turning away to leave but she grabbed my hands.

"Please!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. I understood that. She needed help? This time, when she pulled me, I did not resist and allowed myself to be drag along. "Ken-chan!" she yelled. _"I got a partner! Can I participate now?"_

I gulped slightly when I saw the large man. There were scars across his face, an eye-patch and his hair had bells decorating it. His cheekbones were prominent and he lacked eyebrows. I knew who he was instantly.

_"Hah? Who's that kid?"_ Accompanying his words were a sharp burst of spiritual pressure bearing down on us. The girl beside me didn't seem fazed.

"Scary," I mumbled, flexing my fingers and trying to get used to the spiritual pressure. Hitsugaya had a powerful spiritual pressure but he had never ever used it to intimidate me or anyone.

_"It's the kid that Hitsugaya-taicho took in, I heard,"_ said a short-haired Soul Reaper. From how he tossed his head back, smirking a self-satisfied smirk, I knew who he was at first glance. _"I'm_ Ayasegawa Yumichika."

_"Let's start the battle royal!"_ cried Kusajishi Yachiru.

:: :: ::

It took me five minutes to figure out what was going on. The little brat had led me into a death trap. The first match was already over, quite brutally. One of the defeated pair had walked away with an arm twisted in a way I didn't think was possible.

This was bad.

How do I tell Yachiru that my Zanpakuto was a support-type? I could heal wounds but that would mean healing my opponents too. I had tested it out yesterday and apparently, I could heal anyone within range even if I didn't target them, which meant that my opponents would be getting a boost as well.

What's worse, we were going fourth. I considered running but I couldn't. They were surrounding the exits and I didn't want to shame the 10th division.

What would Hitsugaya and Rangiku say if they learned that I'd ran away with my tail between my legs? Besides, my pride wouldn't allow that.

I glanced at Yachiru, trying to keep an impassive face. She was practically vibrating in excitement. She looked younger than me so I couldn't possibly let her deal with two guys, right?

I was praying for some divine intervention but no such luck. In about ten minutes, Yachiru and I were called forward to fight. The referee shouted something, probably 'start!' and I realized my palms were sweaty.

What the heck am I doing here?

I'm not going to help Rangiku for the whole week! This is all her fault! How could she leave me there?!

Yachiru glanced at me, grinning. _"'S okay if you're not good at fighting, I'll fight, I just need a partner to fulfill the headcount!"_ She sounded like she was trying to comfort me.

I glanced down at my chains. I didn't bother calling for Hikaru, knowing that he was useless in this situation. I shifted my stance. If this fight was just taking place in the dojo and the other members were watching, that means that there is a very limited field.

The moment the man drew his sword, I knew the fight had started.

I'm not going to be a laughing stock, not going to be a canon fodder.

I lunged, applying Hoho and even though I overstepped, I was close enough to land a hit. I mentally commanded Hikaru to elongate the chains and swung it, trapping the man's hands, preventing him from running and I punched him, the sickening crack that sounded told me I'd broken his nose.

Body singing with adrenalin, I grabbed the chain and swung, looping it around him and throwing him into his partner.

The referee started counting down. Yachiru jumped and landed on the duo, flashing me double thumbs-up. _"Not bad!"_

Flushed with my success, I unchained the two and retreated into the crowd.

I didn't know how long I spent there, fighting with Yachiru against the unseated Soul Reapers and the low-ranked ones. But they were cleared out rather quickly. I noticed that there were very few females. Yachiru and I being two of the six ladies there and I wasn't even a member of this division.

I batted the woman's hand away, seized her other arm and twisted it behind her back. The rules were simple after careful observation. The person on the ground longer than ten seconds is out and if one is out, his partner is out too.

Yachiru was probably stronger than me but she let me do most of the fighting, which irked me slightly. She was probably a seated officer, but not Lieutenant yet, I didn't see anyone who was a lieutenant here. I had only been training with Hitsugaya and Rangiku for about two weeks but my movements were no longer so jerky.

Hitsugaya showed me new fighting styles that I vaguely recognized as judo, kung-fu and a mixture of other fighting styles that flowed together without awkwardness. I hadn't master it yet and he might've been criticizing me or telling me I did good—for all I understood, he might as well be telling me to go to the market.

Of course, sparring against him or Rangiku meant certain defeat.

Don't even bring up where Zanjutsu is questioned. Hitsugaya lent me a wooden sword, something that was rare because everyone had their Zanpakuto—he had to go very far for it as the dojo didn't have any wooden mock-ups. I usually dropped the sword whenever it clashes against an opponent's blade.

My Flash Step was also slowly improving, no longer did I crash into walls but I tend to swerve extra hard, overbalance and overstep.

Kido lessons were tough; I was slow at pronouncing the Japanese version of incantation so I usually mess up or it came out very weak. But when I pronounce the English version of some Kido spells I know, it tend to stuck in my hand and I need a lot of concentration to throw it away. The damage was awesome though.

Hitsugaya might have been telling me how that was coming out of my pay.

To make things easier, I only spoke the name and the number of the spells. It was a watered-down version of what chanting the English incantation can do but as I got used to it, it was growing stronger.

"Arisu!" cried Yachiru, tugging hard on my arm. I glanced down at her. _"Come on, it's our turn. We can fight Baldy and Peacock!"_

Our opponents: Yumichika and Ikakku shouted something in response to what Yachiru was saying. I was reluctant to fight them because I knew I wouldn't be able to beat them.

I gripped my chains, nervous.

_Hey,_ whispered Hikaru in my mind. _I'll teach you something new. Up to it? Don't be scared, we're here for you. _

For the first time, I heard the cheerful shout of the toddler Zanpakuto spirit.

Yumichika and Ikakku both drew their Zanpakuto. I reared back when I saw the Shikai form.

_"Hey, you're upsetting my friend!"_

_"This a fucking fight!"_ roared Ikkaku. _"If she's scared about this then send that little girl home!"_

With a guttural battle cry, he charged, spear swinging. "**O searing light, burn****—Hikaru!**" I heard shouts of alarm and agony. The light was blinding; I squeezed my eyes shut as well but even behind my eyelids, I could imagine my retina melting or something.

Once the light cleared, I forced my eyes open, taking in the situation. Yachiru (who was rubbing her eyes) and I exchanged uncertain glances when we saw how Ikkaku's and Yumichika's respective Zanpakuto had returned to normal katana form. We didn't hesitate, we charged.

Yumichika had enough sense to deflect my blows but he was disoriented. I assume the pain of such bright light piercing his retinas was setting him back. "**Hado No. 31: Shakkaho!**"

He went flying. I turned to see Yachiru jumping up and down on Ikkaku's defeated form. He was clutching his groin (where I assumed Yachiru had kicked him) and the other hand clawed at his face, trying to soothe the pain in his eyes.

My hair whipped my face. I winced. But when I glanced down, my heart nearly stopped. I felt a slightly shudder rip through my whole body. Slowly, mechanically, I turned to see Kenpachi Zaraki grinning down at me. I wondered if he would've taken my head off had Rangiku not stopped his blade.

I swallowed, scrambling away, terrified.

_What a lunatic,_ growled Hikaru. Arisa's Zanpakuto sobbed in my head. He was probably scared shitless.

_"Kenpachi-taicho,"_ hissed Rangiku, her arm was struggling from the effort of stopping his blade. _"if you would please excuse us, we have important matters to attend to."_

_"Heh? Why don't you stay longer and play?"_

_"No,"_ Rangiku's voice was cold despite the forced grin. I saw sweat beading down her forehead. Almost bored, Kenpachi shoved his arm and Rangiku staggered back.

Hikaru shouted a warning and I raised my arm. "**Hado No. 4: Byakurai!**"

It didn't hit him but it deterred him from his intended target anyway. I choked, inhaling sharply, from the sudden burst of spiritual pressure. My knees buckled and I staggered but I did not fall. This was Kenpachi's insane reiatsu affecting me. I struggled to push my reiatsu forward, to fight his, but it didn't erase the terror and the feeling I was being stabbed.

"Kenpachi!"

The pressure disappeared; I was weak with relief, I fell into a crouch, noticing that only Rangiku and Zenpachi himself standing. And, of course, Hitsugaya. The permanent scowl on his face seemed to have etched deeper; he looked old despite how short he was.

_"I thought you asked me for a spar instead of my subordinates."_

Kenpachi shrugged. _"You were late. Training Ground No. 15?"_

_"Fine. Matsumoto, get Arisu back to the office and finish up the rest of the paperwork. I'll deal with you later."_ Kenpachi and Hitsugaya flash-stepped away.

With a sigh of relief, I flopped back onto the ground—hearing the rest of the Shinigami doing the same or breaking into chatters. Yachiru sidled up to me, grinning. She didn't seem to have been affected by Kenpachi's spiritual pleasure but I guess it was because she was used to it._ "Let's play again! You're Hitsu-taicho's subordinates, right? I'll go to the 10th division tomorrow. I've never seen anyone as young-looking as me so—be my friend, okay?"_

She grinned widely and waved me away even as Rangiku started dragging me away, shoving the rowdy Shinigami. A few tried to talk to me, waving their arms wildly, grins on their faces, but Rangiku waved them away.

We were out of the crowd when she finally spoke. _"Honestly, Arisu, why do you always get into trouble?"_

I grinned sheepishly at her because she sounded endlessly exasperated.

:: :: ::

I blinked. Odd, I thought... I raised my hands to my eyes, rubbing the crust of sleep before rolling over, ready to get more sleep and—

I yelled in shock when I saw Yachiru's face inches from mine. "What was that for?" I cried.

Yachiru grinned. _"Ran-chan was right when she said you don't speak our language! That's so cool! You can call the Captain Commander old git and he won't even know!"_

I didn't know why she was here but once I managed to get her off me, I toileted and dressed; she insisted on helping me tie a ribbon and forcefully tried to tame my wavy lilac hair—and I was still trying to get used to that hair color and this new face—failed and pulled it into a messy bun.

Instead of leading me to the office, she led me out of the division building. "_Let's race one another to_ Sokyoku_ Hill!_" I understood only one word and I glanced up at the iconic rocky mesa. Rotating my shoulders, I raced after her, feeling the wind in my face.

I could barely keep her in sight and once I took another road, through the roofs, I only caught sight of her a few times.

The journey up was tough and I was winded by the time I reached. Yachiru joined me a second later. _"Cheater!"_ she cried. _"You took a shortcut, you used Shunpo! We should've taken the same road!"_

"I win," I grinned.

Yachiru puffed her cheeks but eventually gave up the pretense of being angry after awhile. _"It's nice up here, isn't it? I like the wind. But this place is to execute traitors and wrong-doers. It's a big mood-killer."_ She pouted. _"And you don't even talk! How are we going to be friends?"_

"Ne, Yachiru, do you want to train?"

Yachiru's brows furrowed as she tried to decipher what I was saying. _"You want to race to another place?"_

Words were not going to get us anywhere. Action it is. I bent my knees and sprung, using the Reishi to push me further up. Yachiru watched, mouth slightly parted as I tried to land a hit. She skidded away, dodging easily, grin on her lips. _"Well, you're just like Ken-chan! Fighting to pass time?"_

I raised my hand, gesturing for her to come and get it—so to speak.

Yachiru understood fighting well. She was smaller than me and she always tried to get closer to hit vital points. I couldn't understand what she was saying so I didn't respond verbally but I think she was trying to teach me where to hit, where it would injure an opponent the most.

We trained until the clouds parted and the sun glared down at us.

Yachiru's stomach growled loudly, disrupting the tranquility between us.

I snorted as she giggled. _"Race ya down!"_ She dashed off. I followed at a much more sedate pace.

:: :: ::

When I reached the bottom, I was confronted with a horrifying fact: Yachiru didn't use Flash Step. I'd used Flash Step and yet, I'd lost. She had not used it and she'd won.

"How did you do it?" I cried, looking at her with newfound respect. She cocked her head to the side in confusion. "_You—Shunpo—didn't use?_"

Yachiru beamed. _"No. You used it, right? That's cheating but—"_

"_Teach me!_"

Following that statement, Yachiru appointed herself my teacher. She didn't teach me Japanese and didn't seem to care that there was a very thick language barrier between us. Every morning to late afternoon after that, she made us both race up and down the Sokyoku Hill—without Shunpo—so understandably, I was very weary and often lost.

She even made me wear weighted clothing and weights.

_"In return, Kido lessons!_" she said. She kept repeating the word 'Kido' until I understood that she wanted me to teach her Kido. Apparently, she wasn't too good at it since the 11th Division only cared about physical strength. I understood her want to be a master at everything.

I learned about Hikaru's handy feature: the ability to re-energize us. I used it to erase the fatigue one afternoon and we were able to train until midnight before collapsing.

We laughed about it afterwards.

I liked Yachiru. She was funny, nice, understanding and patient with me when I didn't exactly understood what she wanted to teach me.

I remembered a peculiar lesson where she brought a chart she 'borrowed' from the 4th Division. Every body part of the Shinigami was labeled but she kept making hitting motions when she pointed at a particular spot so I assumed she was teaching me where to land the most effective hits (that included someone's private parts and while that might've struck other Divisions as despicable, Yachiru reassured me that it was common practice in the 11th Division, or so I gathered).

Yachiru also had another way of teaching me to speak Japanese. She pointed at things and repeated them in Japanese, making me repeat them a dozen times until she was satisfied. I really want to see how she was going to teach me Japanese words such as 'feelings' that were abstract.

I rarely ever visit the office anymore, opting to wander around with Yachiru and training with her, so I was surprised when Rangiku called for me.

_"Yes? Anything?"_

Rangiku grinned and ruffled my hair at the use of their language, but there was a worried glint in her eyes. _"The captain wants to talk to you."_ I followed her obediently, dread curling in my stomach when I saw how grim they both looked. Did someone die? Or—my heartbeat spiked—they found out who I actually was.

I leaned forward, hands clasped.

_"Look, Arisu, I don't know how much you understand but... this weekend, there's an evaluation test for you."_ Hitsugaya sounded strained, massaging his temples. _"I misunderstood what the Captain Commander was saying—"_

_"Actually, I'm sure you just want—"_

_"Shut up, Matsumoto." _Rangiku grinned mischievously._ "As I was saying, the Captain Commander wanted you to enroll in the Shino Academy—I misunderstood his vaguely phrased request and you are now a few weeks' behind the curriculum. I argued that you were doing fine and attending the Academy would only slow you down so if you want to stay here, you have to pass that test. Do you understand?"_

I blinked, processing the serious and long-winded explanation and felt that it was... seriously long-winded.

_"I'm judging by her expression,"_ said Rangiku, _"but I don't think she understands."_

"Yachiru," I said. "_Training—Yachiru_."

_"I think she knows that she needs to train,"_ observed Rangiku. _"Well, she's been doing nothing but hanging out with Kusajishi lately and I heard that little kid saying how fun Arisu is. Think we can leave it to Yachiru?"_

Hitsugaya's face tautened. _"She defeated seated officers in the 11th Division, I wouldn't be too worried about that."_

Whatever they were saying, it seemed serious. Strangely, Rangiku insisted on coming with me to the Sokyoku Hill that had became our playground as Yachiru phrased it, I call it training grounds—you can see how our maturity differed here. Rangiku conversed with Yachiru, speaking quickly unlike when they were talking to me.

Yachiru was frowning, which was odd on her face.

She turned to me, hands on her hips. "_Intensive training with Yachiru-shisho starts now! You won't be eating, sleeping or relaxing until you can show me a satisfactory performance!_"

:: :: ::

_"What happened to you?"_

Hitsugaya looked taken aback. If I had the time to look into a mirror, I probably would've been mortified or at least tried to smooth down my wild hair. The lilac shade was layered in dust and my body too. This was a result of bathing about three times a week. I didn't bath last night.

I had gotten the gist of what was happening: I was being tested.

It could only be the reason why Rangiku and Yachiru were putting so much effort to train me.

_"Training,"_ I wheezed, clutching the stitch in my side. "_Examiner—where?_"

_"In the dojo, let's go."_

I was surprised to see another familiar character. He had a polite look on his face as he said his greeting. His blonde bangs nearly covered his right eye, his grey eyes were serious and evaluating. There was a Lieutenant's badge on his right arm, signifying his rank.

Somewhere along his words, I heard, "Kira Izuru," confirming my suspicions.

I had an Asauchi—which could only be exclusively taken from the Shinigami Academy—gripped tightly in my hand. I was only borrowing it, in case they demanded a display of Zanjutsu skills which was likely because Shinigami powers were compromised of the four fighting techniques.

I wasn't worried about Hoho. I was just wondering what I must do to reach Izuru's level of impressive and worthy. _"Let's start."_

Izuru blinked languidly. _"Ah, yes. Well, firstly, we're testing to see how well you hold up under a Lieutenant's Reiatsu."_

His spiritual pressure... he was going easy on me... I had experienced Zaraki's spiritual pressure firsthand, Izuru's was nothing in comparison to his. I didn't falter; I glared at Izuru, tightening my grip on the—seeing as Yachiru presented this to me, I'm assuming this was stolen—Asauchi.

Yachiru had also taught me how to manifest my Reiryoku, giving it a semi-transparent shape.

_Remember, your soul and Arisa's combined are more than a match for his. Arisa already has high spiritual energy, combining your life-force... well..._

Hikaru was smirking—I could just imagine it. Arisa's Zanpakuto giggled happily.

His eyes narrowed, the pressure increased, I could feel something brushing my skin. Ah, now he was talking. He was slowly building his reiatsu up. I frowned at the irregular build-up. Now, his reiatsu was coming at me in dull pokes, poking and pushing.

_Flip him the finger!_ Hikaru cried, caught up in the moment.

Without warning, he disappeared from sight. I barely brought my sword up in time. I was good at non-armed combat but Zanjutsu was another matter entirely. I had only started three days ago and even though I worked till midnight, I doubted I could match a Zanjutsu-expert in terms of skill.

"**Hado No. 4: Byakurai!**"

He jumped away. _No_, moaned Hikaru, _you're holding the sword wrongly_— Muttering curses in English, I shifted my grip. Like this?

_No! Further down! No, leave it—he's coming—kick him away! Use Hakuda!_

_Shut up_, I begged. _Please shut up._

"**Hado No. 63: Raikoho!**" I flung the orb of electric sphere at him, missed completely as he dodged and flash-stepped away. I stabbed the sword into the ground, gripped it and jumped, somersaulting to deflect his blade. The ankle weights were also useful for defensive capabilities.

I wrenched the Asauchi out of the ground, trying to ignore how awkward holding a sword was (honestly, punching someone seemed easier and less bloody if you're aiming to kill), and swung while we were still in mid-air. As I expected, he stood on Reishi and parried it before jumped away. I landed on the ground, flipping backwards to put some distance between us.

_Analyze,_ Hikaru advised. _Whose sword is longer?_

_Um, my Asauchi is shorter so... it's easier to slip into openings?_ I wondered.

Hikaru hummed in agreement. _Keep your elbows bent, and close to your body. An inexperienced fighter tends to stretch out his arms in order to keep his opponent further off, but this will hurt your ability to thrust and parry quickly. Extend your sword towards your opponent, not your arms._

_How do you know so much?_ I wondered as Izuru charged. I had a very solid style: I'd wait and see what the opponent had to offer. Izuru was obviously very skilled (and was getting tired with my stalling), no point trying actively to defeat him in a sword-fight. Defense was the best offense.

Hikaru was silent for a moment as I parried the blows, keeping two hands on the sword. I was not so easy to push back with the added weights from the weighted vest Yachiru had me wearing, a matching one of hers.

_Well, Arisa's dad had a dojo and she... before she died, she learned how to, y'know, fight with a sword. Just relating what I occasionally hear._

Dimly, I wondered how he knew so much. Hikaru knew a lot about me yet I barely knew anything about him. I thought it was quite unfair. Odd, how he knew so much about Arisa as well.

_Always have your feet shoulder wide and when you move, move so your legs spread apart. Never have your feet close to each other._

_ Hold your sword so you can handle it with ease. Watch your opponent's movements and learn when he moves in to attack and launch a counterattack._

_Be quick. When you parry you keep the blade close to you so you don't stretch out to block and always try to counter your opponents attack_—

He struck, I parried his blade, held it, looked into his eye and— I gritted my teeth, arms trembling. He saw his chance and pushed harder, aiming to overwhelm me with strength. I gathered Reishi around me, hesitated, wondering whether I should push him back with spiritual pressure or use it to flash-step away.

My knees hit the wooden ground; using the little friction caused by my hakama's cloth and slippery floorboard, I slipped, twisting away as I wrenched my sword away—arms aching with the tremendous force used—and his sword stabbed the spot I was previously in.

"**Hado No. 33: Sokatsui!**" The ball of blue energy recoiled slightly before launching forward. It was too bad I couldn't control it, Izuru must've dodged it already. There was no spell to speed up a Kido attack. Tch.

When the smoke cleared, it revealed Izuru who was still standing, eyebrows and clothes singed. I tightened my grip on the sword. He raised a hand. _"Enough, it's enough."_ Hitsugaya stepping into view told me that the evaluation was over.

_"What are her results?'_

Izuru blinked. _"Honestly, Hitsugaya-taicho, you should be able to tell. Well, eh, her Kido and Hoho exceed expectations. Her Zanjutsu style is awkward, unorthodox and seem to rely heavily on defense. I doubt she's going to be a heavy-hitter but she can hold her own in a fight so I'm allowing her to pass. Her reflexes are good, high spiritual energy." _Izuru tilted his head to the side, as if contemplating._ "She has sharp eyes and a tricky or sneaky fortitude in battle, but I've seen very little of her Hakuda nor did she manifest her Zanpakuto."_

His monotonous tone irked me, I was unable to discern anything. _"I can attest to her Zanpakuto manifestation and Hakuda—along with my Lieutenant and Kusajishi—that should be good enough."_

_"Ah, taicho, before we end this assessment, what is her Zanpakuto type?"_

_"It's a healing type."_

Izuru nodded. _"Then I will take my leave. Good day."_ He nodded politely at me before flash-stepping away.

Hitsugaya's expression gave little away and I was growing more and more anxious as we made our way back to the office. Rangiku and Yachiru were waiting, the latter practically bouncing off the wall. They exchanged a few words and from the grin that broke through Yachiru's face, I knew I'd passed.

I laughed, allowing Yachiru to tackle me into a hug.

Things were looking up.

:: :: ::

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* * *

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**Answer to guest reviews:**

Mai: Thanks for reviewing! XD

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Updated: 26/7/2014

Status: Unbeta'ed

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**Question:** What do you think of Arisa? What sort of person is she?

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	5. Chapter 5

**Tite Kubo © Bleach**

* * *

**Beyond the Beyond**

**Chapter 4**

by GaleSynch

* * *

I wondered if Zanpakuto can read their owner's mind.

I was having one of those rare nights where I couldn't fall asleep so easily. This was the second time since I'd been here that I was unable to sleep once I hit the bed. I rolled over, facing the wall, frowning faintly.

My subconscious habit was entirely mine, there was truly no hint of Arisa's habits or attitude.

I strained my ears but couldn't hear anything. This place was just that peaceful, I liked it, in comparison to the big city where I used to live. I should spend my time figuring a way home. Instead, I rolled out of bed, switched on the lights and pulled open the book Hitsugaya had given me. I couldn't read the title of the textbook (but I assumed it said _Learning Japanese: For Idiots' Edition_) it was meant to teach me how to understand their language, the Japanese words and illustrations.

I was through the fifth page before I realized I was seriously trying to memorize what was in the book.

It was like... like I was finally accepting I wasn't going to go home.

Home; the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household. Permanently? Don't make me laugh. The brownstone wasn't home ever since Mom managed to sniff out a woman's perfume on Dad's white button up shirt. Mom didn't wear perfumes, period.

The screaming was unbearable.

The last time I asked Hikaru how he was progressing, how close he was to finding a way for us to go home, I could hear his unspoken question in between the lines.

Why go back when this virtual life is perfect so far? What is there to go back to? A broken home, broken family. Comforting baby brother and mom, do I want to be stuck with that again?

I didn't have an answer.

I was very glad Hikaru never asked me point-blank, I wouldn't know how to answer.

:: :: ::

I was surprised to see Hitsugaya in the mess hall. I mean, I knew he had to eat as did every Soul Reaper and spiritually powerful beings but to see him in the mess hall really hit home that he was real.

I still had the impression that using a scissors and cutting them would be all it takes to shatter this illusion. Of course, trying to cut him with a scissors would end with Hyorinmaru jutting out of my chest so I did not try with him. Absentmindedly, I wandered over to him. "Morning, taicho."

_"Ah, morning._" He didn't look at me, he was looking at the vending machine. It actually spat a ticket for whichever set of meal we wanted. His turquoise eyes flickered to the top before he studied the choices available on the lower most slots. I waited for him to move on but he kept studying his choices, like he had never done it before.

I was in a rather bad mood as I didn't have enough sleep last night and I made an impatient sound. Bloody hell, how hard was it to push one button and move his ass?

I grumbled, "Hurry up, man." My complains were drowned out by a group of Shinigami passing by. They were snickering at a shared joke but it struck me as odd that they were still giggling and didn't move. Were they queuing up? It took me a few seconds to notice they were glancing alternatively at Hitsugaya and snickering.

They were laughing at him. I couldn't see what was so funny. I crossed my arms, tilted to the side and squinted.

_Oh it's easy_, Hikaru said. I wondered how he could communicate with me so easily. _He's short, you see how his eyes flicker upward sometimes? He doesn't like the choices on the lowest slot, but he can't reach the choices up there._

_Why doesn't he jump?_

_It's going to be hilarious. I'm laughing by just imagining it but watching it happen? To-ta-lly priceless._

I suppressed a snort. I approached him, rocked back on my heels and jumped, slapping the particular button he had been eyeing for awhile. "Strawberry-flavored, right Captain?"

His cheeks reddened slightly. "_I.. Idiot! The button I was going to press was below it!_"

Hikaru sounded ticked off, in response to Hitsugaya's tone. _Then why did he take it?_ he demanded dourly as Hitsugaya flash-stepped away. _We should've just let him be a laughing-stock._

_Riiight... remind me that the next time we see him in trouble. I want to stay back and laugh it off._

:: :: ::

"_How can you two even move like that?_" Rangiku's cry of disbelief echoed around the hot-spring. I slid slowly into the hot water. "_And you even bathe with it?_"

With a cry, Yachiru somersaulted into the water, splashing the both of us. I adjusted the weights Yachiru forced me to wear. I had only removed the weighted vest, but the weights around my arms, thighs and lower legs stay on. Yachiru also wore those into the hot spring.

I watched, amused, as she kicked about, swimming as if we were in a swimming pool.

Yachiru responded to what Rangiku was saying, _"Each are about two kilograms, Ken-chan challenged me to it! We're going to keep putting on more weight until he says the challenge is over!"_

Rangiku blinked. _"Why involve Arisu?"_

_"She wants to get stronger and I want to be a teacher. You know, when she passed Kira-chan's test_," Yachiru stopped swimming, coming to a rest beside me, grinning, _"I felt proud. I think this is what every parent feel whenever their kid makes an effort to express themselves!"_

Rangiku looked surprised, a brow arched. _"Er, really? Don't you think you're too young to have a kid? And Arisu is taller than you—though barely."_

Yachiru patted my head. I suppressed the urge to send her flying with my fist—I wasn't a kid. No need to appear ungrateful, right?

I scrubbed my skin and cleaned the weights, watching them with a twisted smirk.

This world might not be so bad.

:: :: ::

I started training harder. Rangiku often slacked off, training only thrice a week. I wasn't too sure about Hitsugaya's schedule but I figured he was also taking it very easy. Of course, they didn't know there was a very big threat looming over Soul Society.

Sweat beaded down my cheek. _"Ne, Yachiru?"_

A grunt of exertion. _"Yeah?"_ she called back.

"Isn't this endurance training too much?"

"_First one to give up loses!_" she cried.

It was surprising to look at a calender and realized that I had been here for half a year. I spent most of it with three person only: Hitsugaya, Rangiku and Yachiru. I did everything I could to avoid Aizen, Gin and Tosen. I'd taken off running away when I nearly ran into the blind Shinigami.

Hitsugaya was walking beside me when it happened so he must've been surprised; he went back to the office to find me hiding behind the sofa. He wandered off without saying anything thought I could feel his puzzlement.

The second time this happened, but with Gin, Yachiru was beside me. She was under the impression ever since then that he was a monster (from what I could piece together) and often pranked his division in retaliation. Yachiru was a very skilled infiltrator and she often brought me on her pranking crusades.

I was ashamed to say I was clumsy and that the chains made it practically impossible to maneuver swiftly and silently.

I was furious at myself and more than a little pissed at Hikaru. There, I admit it. I resented Hikaru for making these chains. It drew people's stares and I hated it. A group of Shinigami had tried to apprehend me and drag me to the dungeons (or wherever their prison was) because they assumed I was an escaped prisoner, I retaliated by beating them into a pulp and the rest of the Shingami witnessing this charged in to _'apprehend'_ me.

I ended up with a bruised cheek and a broken arm. Hitsugaya (who had to bail me out) ranted at me for a very, very long time. I wasn't too upset; you should've seen the other guys if you think I came off worse.

Perhaps Hikaru sensed my mounting frustration and resentment because the times he reached out for me grew less and less. I couldn't hear his voice anymore. Actually, it had been four months since I last heard his voice and I didn't bother trying to reach the inner world we shared.

I tried to make a conscious effort to converse with Arisa's Zanpakuto Hikaru called Baby. The last time I saw him, I nearly chucked him into the water myself.

_What special ability does his Shikai possess? Cuddling?_

I snorted and instantly regretted it. I wobbled. Currently, Yachiru and I were doing push-ups with only our palms supporting us on a freaking stalagmite. I figured we had been at it for nearly fifteen minutes. My arms screamed in protest but I took a moment to be awed; my old body wouldn't have even be able to lift up.

I doubt I would have unnecessary fats ever again.

:: :: ::

I squinted at the words. "Um... mission... right, right... er, exterminate Hollows in the Human realm... uh-huh. _I get it_."

Hitsugaya snorted. "_Right. I didn't know when I taught you how to read upside down._" I stared at him quizzically. He snatched the paper out of my hand and turned it over before handing it to me. "_Read again._"

"_Kill Hollows_," I concluded without glancing at the paper's contents. How hard was it to draw such a conclusion? Shinigami existed to destroy Hollows and restore balance—those stuff. "_Human world?_" I added when Hitsugaya pinned me with a glare.

_"No,"_ he said. _"I want you to patrol the Rukongai. You'll be going with three others of this division. Do you understand?"_

I nodded. I recognized '_three others_' and his most often used phrase around me: do you understand? I admit, I felt a little irk that he ended nearly all of his sentence with that phrase: as if I was a particularly idiotic kid. I felt like kicking him but figured that wasn't too wise of me.

I was used to suppressing anger, so I swallowed and endured the act. It wasn't that I didn't try—okay, I usually didn't pay attention—but it was boring and whenever I looked at it, my brain short-circuited and the words started swimming around me.

I learned more from actions than words; Rangiku patted my head and wished me good luck.

It was a simple mission, patrol the Zaraki district that had been reported to be swarming with Hollows lately. The number of Souls were dying at such a rapid pace that the Soul Reapers, to restore balance, had to go and destroy them. Since I had no idea how to get there, I lagged behind them as they talked rapidly and laughed often, more than once, I caught them looking at me and I wondered if they were laughing at me.

I resisted the urge to throttle them.

Not for the first time, I wished Hikaru would stop avoiding me. I usually distracted myself by cracking jokes with him, he made boring stuff such as studying, and taxing stuff such as training funny and more bearable. I might or might not miss him. I like his character but the abilities he granted me were useless.

I only used his special ability to re-energize myself to continue training. Did I mention how that ability could only be used after twenty-fours had passed?

_Why the time limit, dude?_

Zaraki was one of the most pathetic place I've ever been to. The streets were littered with haggard, emaciated men and a few children. There were very few women and I wondered why. They leered at me, cat-calling. My fellow Soul Reapers sneered and jeered at them.

It was a boring, non-stimulating work. I focused my attention on my personal training. I knew about Hierro, the Arrancars condensed spiritual energy into an invisible armor around them. I was wondering if I could do the same thing. Firstly though, I need to gather them around my whole body instead of my feet only.

I must've looked pretty odd, flash-stepping here and there for no reason (to them) but I was failing to compress spiritual particles around my whole body. My face was flushed but I ignored the Soul Reapers' sniggers and whispers. I was having a not-so-terrific time, accidentally gathering everything to the soles of my feet instead of enveloping my body.

"Oi, Arisu!"

I turned, mildly surprised that they knew my name. The brunette Soul Reaper waved me over. _"Come here! We're going to have lunch!"_

I looked up at the building. This was, by far, the most fancy building though it was nothing on the buildings in the Seireitei. I wondered why everyone looked starved when the owner of this place could provide us with a feast. My stomach grumbled and I cast those thoughts away; what the heck, I was hungry.

Then, when I raised my head, one of the attendants sauntered over.

The brunette Shinigami—Kaito, I think was his name—grinned, seized her wrist and pulled her into his lap. She shrieked.

Then everything when to hell from there.

:: :: ::

If it wasn't for my quick reflexes, Hitsugaya probably would've landed a hand-print on my face. As it was, he barely missed. He clenched his fist, allowing it to drop to his side again. I shuffled away; behind Hitsugaya, Rangiku grimaced, worry in her eyes.

_"Ne, taicho—"_

_"Silence, Matsumoto,"_ Hitsugaya's voice was frosty, telling me that he wasn't in a good mood. _"Arisu, do you know what you've done?" _I shuffled my feet, looking at the ground._ "Not only did you fail to protect the Souls in that district, you nearly destroyed a building, injured the Souls and allowed the Hollows to consume no less than half a dozen Souls. And you attacked your own comrades—what is wrong with you?"_

_"Taicho, we should ask for Arisu's side of the story—"_ Rangiku started but a sharp burst of spiritual pressure from Hitsugaya silenced her.

I felt the room's temperature drop several degrees.

Kaito, that bastard of a Shinigami, was a molester. At least, that seemed to be it. I didn't know why Hitsugaya was so pissed when I just tried to protect an innocent girl's dignity. It was obvious she couldn't protect herself, I had acted accordingly. I bit my lip.

I admit, it had been chaotic when I punched Kaito in the nose and started beating him into the ground. His two other buddies had came at me and since they each had a girl in their laps, I had not hesitated to deliver judgement.

Kaito's face was swollen twice its size before I realized there were about three Hollows in the area. I had finished them off with Kaito's sealed Zanpakuto (it was a swifter method than reciting the poetry needed to summon Hikaru). The Hollows weren't dangerous at all, just low-leveled shit that managed to sneak into that shitty district.

As far as I was concerned, I did my job pretty well. After all, wasn't it Soul Society's job to protect the Souls? Regardless of who the enemy was?

I frowned, wondering how I was going to explain this to Hitsugaya. My Japanese wasn't fluent and times like these made me wish I had put more effort into learning it.

Could someone speak Japanese fluently only after eight months learning it? No, it was impossible for me. It would take at least, er, a few years?

I bowed my head, deciding to swallow the injustice of it all, and spat out, "_I'm sorry. I was just—protect—souls._"

_"See? She's trying to help them! Taicho, we both know that Kaito isn't exactly honorable so maybe—"_

_"She just increased my workload,"_ Hitsugaya hissed in response to what Rangiku had to say. _"I have to finish her report on her behalf, I have to pay for the damage she did, and I'm expected to explain to Kaito's noble family how their precious heir got injured by his division-mate. Not to mention the other two, all from noble families. Our division is going to have to compensate this with money." _Hitsugaya massaged his temples. _"Why did I even vouch for her in the first place?"_ he grumbled.

Rangiku laughed nervously, casting me a _hang in there_ look._ "Haha, Kaito in a full-body cast. He's been hitting on me since forever, thanks for bruising his ego, Arisu."_ She winked at me and it made me feel better.

_"Don't encourage her!"_ snapped Hitsugaya._ "Stay right where you are, Arisu—don't even think of escaping! I'm not through with you yet. You're going to apologize to Kaito and I have yet to assign you a proper punishment—"_

Rangiku patted my shoulder as she passed me; Hitsugaya seemed to have an endless supply of saliva because he ranted until midnight. Which was impressive.

I was suddenly glad that I didn't understand 99% of what he was saying because it sounded harsh and I probably would've been in tears. I struggled to look remorseful instead of bored, which I was.

_Oh, he's worse than an old man._

I started. _Hikaru?_ I couldn't stop the smile from surfacing.

Unfortunately, Hitsugaya got the wrong message—he probably thought I was enjoying this—because what seemed to be the epilogue of his lecture passed into the part two of his epilogue.

_Brace yourself,_ Hikaru told me. _Captain Gramps is just revving his engine._

I failed to contain my laugh.

:: :: ::

Things were awkward between me and Hitsugaya—or frosty if you'd prefer. He was still pissed with me, it was quite obvious I didn't really understood his lecture so I hadn't repented. Rangiku must've done a lot of begging and whining on my behalf to ensure I got off easy. I was Kaito's personal slave for the rest of his recovery.

The arm I broke was in a cast even after Unohana-taicho worked her magic. She shot me a sympathetic look that told me she knew Kaito was only faking the pain to get even with me.

Speaking of Unohana, did I mention how much I admire her? The woman that could match Kenpachi Zaraki in terms of power. When I gazed at her, it was with respect. Complete and utter respect.

It was hard for me obey all of Kaito's command. Firstly, my pride was in the way. Secondly, the language barrier was in the way. I expected it to be a hindrance but _no,_ he expected me to go do what I assumed he wanted me to do and forced me to make repeated trips to get his 'coat'.

That wasn't all.

He'd purposefully tripped his tray of food countless times and had me re-fill. He forbid me from using flash-step because it would only ruffle whatever item I was bringing to him. He also made me wash my hands about a half a dozen times to wash the filth away before touching his stuff.

And now?

He wanted to eat some sort of dish that I've never heard before (and probably non-existent), but he lacked an ingredient and made me traipse to the northern Rukongai where the ingredient (he was holding up a carrot and gesturing to it so I assumed) was located.

I wasn't scared of the dark by any means but my goosebumps were rising.

I grew restless as I went deeper into the forest; strips of moonlight occasionally made its way through the canopy of trees, lighting my path, but I was still disturbed. I was about to give up and run for it (I had a strong sixth sense that rang alarm bells) when I heard a roar in the distance.

Was there a standard reaction to this?

I was the sort to look and assess before deciding what to do. If it seemed dangerous, the screamer was on his or her own. If I could do something, I'd lend a hand.

I flash-stepped forward, starting to feel spiritual pressure warring against one another. I peered over the trunk, hidden nearly completely behind the tree, to see what had happened.

His captain haori made my eyebrows climb to my hairline, especially seeing as he was defeated, coughing blood into his fist. His sword was embedded into the ground, his left hand gripping the hilt weakly.

Ukitake-taicho...?

I swiveled my head to look at his opponent and recoiled. It was a Soul Reaper, yet not. Green-skinned and eyes rimmed orange, like glasses but burned into his skin, he was terrifying. His spiritual pressure was not something to sneeze at.

Right. This was way out of my league.

I better run for help.

_"What's this?"_ hissed a voice. I stiffened, feeling the prickling sensation of being concentrated heavily upon. _"Ne, ojou-san, why don't you come out and play? There's... still plenty of room for you in my stomach!"_

Cold sweat broke through; I whirled around just in time to see the Hollow Metastacia ripping through the tree I was hiding behind earlier into half.

"O searing light—" The Hollow slammed into, knocking and pinning me to the ground. I flailed. "—burn bright, Hikaru!" The chains around my wrists began to glow; I squeezed my eyes shut as it got too bright.

I heard the Hollows' howl of agony and the weight on my body was twice heavier. I grunted, blinking rapidly to try and clear the spots in my eyes. Shiba Kaien was unconscious on top of me, his skin human tan once more. I was baffled.

"What the—?" Then it clicked. Of course, Hikaru's partly offensive ability was to negate my opponent's special skill. This must also work on Hollows so the Hollow possessing Kaien had been kicked out. I shoved the Shinigami off me, scrambling to my feet. My palms were sweaty and clammy; I needed a weapon, something to cut the Hollow in half.

I gulped, feeling my body moving despite the fear, I burst through the clearing. Ukitake was staggering to his feet, clutching his chest; blood smeared his haori and chin. "_Behind you!_" he shouted, eyes wide.

I whipped around, heart in throat—

:: :: ::

* * *

**[A/N]:** Did anyone expected Kaien to be saved?

Updated: 3/8/2014

Status: Unbeta'ed

Review!


	6. Chapter 6

**Tite Kubo © Bleach**

* * *

**Beyond the Beyond**

**Chapter 5**

by GaleSynch

* * *

This was probably where I should be saying my whole life flashed before my eyes but all I could see was my imminent death. And quite suddenly, I was looking at something other than the dark sky dotted by one Hollow that was closing in.

Arisa's Zanpakuto hovered before me, on a clear void of black; he smiled sadly. Then the illusion flitted away, replaced by Metastacia leaping at me, roaring in anger.

"**Extend your avaricious arms of darkness**"—the Hollow was closing in—ten feet—six feet—"**Onikirimaru!**"

The chains clicked together and before I knew it, each of my hands grasped the hilt of a katana. Without conscious thought, I adjusted the katana and angled it to catch the Hollow.

A whirlwind of black and the next thing I was looking at was the sight of a flame-patterned mask and a flock of tentacles on his back. My arms trembled with the weight of the... the...

_"Y-you—I would never forget—this—gah..."_

Silently, the Hollow disappeared into specks of black and silver, probably returning to Hueco Mundo to recuperate or he was already purified, leaving me with the twin katanas. The katana I was holding had a guard that angled downwards and the base of the blade protruded outwards in a small rectangle; the one in my left had a guard that arrayed upwards, otherwise, the length was the same.

It had materialized out of nowhere. What was its name? Oni or something. I couldn't believe I managed to pronounce it right the first time.

With a jolt, I realized that the chains no longer attached my hands together, rather, they each connected to the swords.

I blinked, wondering where I should keep it before deciding to just let it fall from my grip. Centimeters from hitting the dirt, it glowed and returned to its original form, chaining me again. I gritted my teeth in frustration.

A cough broke me out of my stunned daze. I turned and blinked. "Oh, right." Ukitake-taicho was injured. If this event was what I think it was, I wondered where Rukia was and if she was okay. She was important to the plot. I took a few cautious steps to him.

He gazed uncertainly up at me before extending a hand. "_Pull me up, please?_"

I understood his action and reached out, pulling him to his feet; he swooned, I caught his arm and righted him, not releasing him as he still seemed unsteady and out of it. "Kaien-dono! Ukitake-taicho!" cried a new, female voice.

"Kuchiki!" said Ukitake, surprised. _"You came back!"_

I turned, looking upon Rukia for the first time. She was as short as I'd estimated, her navy blue eyes were wide. I could see the unasked question in her eyes and I pointed to the tree I'd hidden behind. She turned. "Kaien-dono!"

After the initial shock and hysterics, the four of us—by four, I meant Rukia shouldering Kaien and me carrying the burden of Ukitake—made our way back to the 13th Division's headquarters. The ill Captain had swooned at least three times before I lost my patience with him and forcefully carried him, piggy-back style.

It was awkward as I was shorter than him by a lot (I was smaller than _Hitsugaya_ for crying out loud!). I had came to assume that this spiritual body was about ten or eleven but appearances in this world could be deceiving.

_"By the way, what's your name?"_ Ukitake punctuated his sentence with a cough.

_"Oh, me? Arisu."_

_"Just Arisu?"_ the Captain wondered.

I nodded. _"...Orphan."_ It wasn't a lie; my parents were as good as gone and Soul Society permanently separated families with its size so there was zero chance of meeting Arisa's parents. If she even had any.

Ukitake coughed again. _"Sorry."_

I shook my head. Rukia, silent the whole journey, led the way back to the division. It was utter chaos when they saw us. The Soul Reapers beneath Ukitake's command went crazy when they saw the blood on their beloved captain and the injury their Lieutenant sustained.

Ukitake was ripped from my back and rushed away; being short and small, I was practically squashed. I was face-first in the ground by the time everyone was gone. I grimaced in pain; someone had stepped onto my hand. Swearing violently, I pushed myself up.

It took me a few moments to realize Kuchiki Rukia was still there. I stared at her; her eyes were watery. Then she fixed her eyes on me. "_Thank you... so much... for saving Kaien-dono's life._" She swiped at her eyes, wiping the tears.

"I was only saving myself," I answered even though I doubted she understood. "There is no need to thank me. If the Hollow hadn't attacked me, I would've run. I was just in the right place, conveniently enough for you."

Rukia glanced at me, puzzled. Her eyes widened. "_Shit! You're injured! The Hollow got you, didn't it?_" Her face hardened. "_Tch. We've got to get you to Unohana-taicho."_

Ah? I glanced down at the blood on my forearm. Now that she mentioned it, it was starting to sting... Adrenaline and fear must've momentarily glossed the pain over. Since I'm coming down from a high, I realized that—

My face twisted in agony; how did I carry Ukitake all the way without realizing the pain? Had I been _that_ scared? The Hollow's claws had tore a layer of my skin off and oh, now that I was more aware, it was starting to kill me.

Rukia pulled me to my feet, and together, we rushed to the Fourth Division building. Rukia was half-pulling, half-carrying me.

Fortunately, it was not irreparable damage. But since the one healing me was the 9th seat Yamada Hanataro, there was bound to be a very faint scar. Hanataro kept apologizing for his incompetence, bowing as he did so, but Rukia and I waved him off.

Once he bandaged my wounds and left, I made to leave but Rukia stopped me. She seemed to have noticed that I did not understand what she was saying so she pointed at my wound and at the bed I was occupying. _"Sleep here,"_ she said. "_Yamada-san said that it's safer in case the wound turns out to be infected_."

I sighed, deciding to make myself comfortable if she wasn't going to let me go anyway.

I had been through so much, I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow.

**:: :: ::**

"Onikiri," I said the moment I saw Hikaru's slack-jawed face. "Arisa's Zanpakuto had a name and he gave it to me."

Hikaru slowly closed his mouth, ashen-faced. "Y-yeah, he did, didn't he?"

I frowned. "What's wrong?"

Oddly meek, Hikaru look at his feet. The crystal boat seemed a little dull but that might be my imagination. I stretched my legs before me, not minding when Onikiri landed on my lap. I was entitled to be lenient after all, since he saved my life by giving me his name.

"...Arisu..."

"Hm?"

"You're not going to abandon me are you?" he asked, voice soft. "I know Onikiri will be more useful than me in combat so—"

"You're still my original Zanpakuto, Onikir isn't," I told him. "Of course you're more important than him. No one can replace you. Besides, your healing ability is really useful."

Hikaru broke into a grin.

I returned his smile tentatively.

In my lap, Oni whined.

Silence descended between the three of us; I found that I liked this place, it was dark yet it was bright and pretty because of the crystal boat. Soul Society was nice too; I bemoaned the fate of Soul Society when we'd be attacked by the Quincies.

_We._

I had already started seeing them as a familiar group, as if I was one of them. But what choice did I have? I'm a soul now, I couldn't go to the Human world without Soul Reaper's exclusive privilege. It may seem as if I'm doing this willingly but honestly, I had no other choice.

I had a strong spiritual energy and if I didn't learn to defend myself, I would be a free meal for Hollows. But, at my current level, despite the intensive training I'm going through, I would still be fried by the Arrancars, not to mention the Quincies.

"Hikaru, how do I achieve Bankai?"

Hikaru seemed uncertain. "E-eh?" He scratched his cheek, thinking. "The first step would be to summon me into your world. Can you do that?"

"Hm, no... but I save a vision of Onikiri when the Hollow came at me, did that count?"

"Ask him," Hikaru said listlessly. "Good luck, though. You have a lot of years left to try. But before you even think of Bankai, why don't you try to work with what you have now? Oni may be troublesome but I advise you to master his Shikai first. He saved your life once and it would not be the last."

His smile was a little sad. "'Morning," and he snapped his fingers.

:: :: ::

I woke up with someone's face right atop mine. I reacted on instinct; I lashed out, kicking and punching in rapid succession before I heard a chorus of familiar voices calling my name.

_"Arisu!"_

I stilled, fist a few centimeters from breaking the blue-eyed man's nose. His eyes were wide, his hands were held up in surrender. Blinking, I relaxed my stance and plopped back down on the bed, turning to see the crowd that had gathered. My sight was obscured instantly by large boobs and I knew it was Rangiku.

_"Shove over, Ran-chan! I want to hug my best friend too!"_

I was only allowed a second to breathe before Yachiru tackled me, squeezing so hard I nearly passed out. I heard a few bones creaking in protest to her violent movements.

I patted her shoulder before physically peeling her away from me. To my surprise, Hitsugaya was also there but he didn't seem angry anymore, just annoyed. Ukitake-taicho smiled kindly at me and I shifted my gaze to the tall, black-haired blue-eyed man I'd nearly punched. He noticed my quizzical look and smiled, but it was tinged with sadness.

He crouched to my level, pointing to himself. "Shiba Kaien."

_"Arisu,"_ I held out my hand for him to shake since it was only respectful but, unexpectedly, he crushed me into a hug.

_"Just Arisu?"_ he asked, repeating the same question that Ukitake had posted earlier. I peered past his shoulder, seeing sunlight filtering in through the windows. Well, last night.

"_Mm. Orphan._"

_"Then, what do you say about becoming my daughter?"_ I blinked. "_I mean—I don't think you know, but—" _he exhaled shakily, his voice thick; his long bangs were obscuring his eyes but I was pretty sure he was trying not to cry._ "—my wife died, recently; the Hollow you killed was the one who killed her. I'd probably never have children of my own and— you're an orphan, you also saved my life, Yachiru and Rangiku said you were fun and hard-working and Miyako always wanted a daughter so_—"

_"Kaien,"_ interrupted Rangiku, saving me from the onslaught of... whatever._ "I think you should rest."_

Even Yachiru looked subdued, her smile sympathetic. She took my hand and squeezed. _"Yeah,"_ she said, looking at Kaien whose shoulders were shaking. _"Don't worry, no one wants to adopt Ric-chan right now so I'm sure Hitsu-chan can draw up the required paperwork—"_

Hitsugaya made a noise of discontent, drawing my attention. "_Go to bed,_" he snapped at Kaien. Yachiru backed away when he advanced. He didn't seem so angry anymore, just... hm, unhappy. I was starting to doubt he had any shred of positive emotions in him. _"First, you failed in completing your mission and then you poke your nose into other division's business. Are you trying to give me death-by-work-overload?"_

Yachiru gasped dramatically, hands flying to her open mouth. _"Did he just crack a joke?"_

_"I interrogated Kaito—"_

Yachiru puffed up her cheeks. _"It was me—you did nothing but shove the blame on Ric-chan when she did no wrong! I knew Kaito's a no-good, stuck-up jerk! He's a pervert, too!"_

_"Half-correct. The ladies Arisu supposedly tried to save are... well, paid to do that." _Hitsugaya paused for breath, his cheeks tinting slightly.

Yachiru smiled wryly. _"Prostitutes?"_

_"Don't say that—ugh, but, yes."_ Hitsugaya pinched the bridge of his nose. "_Only one of them is truly afraid as she's, er, new to it. You spooked all of them. You can clean the dojo for the whole week and that marks the end of your punishment since Kaito endangered you unfairly and you also redeemed yourself by saving Ukitake, Kuchiki and Shiba."_

_"Kaito should be hanged—"_

Hitsugaya talked over Yachiru's angry words; she was punching air, I thought it was cute. Hitsugaya rolled his eyes and turned away. "_...and, you did good, too. Not many unseated officers could've beaten that Hollow_."

I twisted Yachiru's pink hair as she clung to my torso, wondering what he had said.

**:: :: ::**

It wasn't until Kaien crouched to my height, a hand on my head, and said, _"Call me Otou-san, okay?"_ that I realized I had already been adopted into the Shiba Clan. _"From today onward, you can proudly answer when people ask your name: Shiba Arisu. It's one of the Five Great Noble Houses and we specialize in fireworks, y'know? I remember vaguely that your Zanpakuto is very bright—so you'd definitely like the fireworks the Shiba Clan invented!"_

He sounded enthusiastic and didn't seem to mind that I couldn't understand what he was saying. I gauged his face; he was grinning, waving his hands energetically, but there was that glint in his eyes, the edge in his smile—he was still grieving.

He was holding my hand, I blinked and squeezed it reassuringly—he seemed to need it.

I didn't report to Hitsugaya's office today since I was given a day off to be introduced to the rest of the Shiba Clan.

I was worried though. Not about my adopting into that clan. But the results of Kaien surviving that ordeal... Rukia gave Ichigo so much power because she truly regretted Kaien's death... with Kaien alive, how was she going to give Ichigo everything?

Somehow, I've got to find a way to crush her.

Not physically, Byakuya would probably rip my head off for doing that. But, as Hikaru said, words can hurt more harder than punches.

The next time I saw Rukia was when I was discharged, with Hanataro singing apologies because of the faint scar. I was this close to punching him for repeating the same thing over and over again. Kaien was leaning against the doorway, faint and sad smile on his face.

Rukia hesitated, peering at us. Kaien must've noticed her presence but he didn't turn to acknowledge her presence.

_This is your chance,_ Hikaru hissed.

I pointed at Rukia. _"Ah, the girl who... ran away... Ukitake-taicho and Kaien-sama—abandoned." _Kaien jerked as if I'd electrocuted him.

He turned. _"Oi, Kuchiki, she doesn't mean what—"_

But he was too late. Rukia's face had turned ash white._ "Sorry, I— I've got something to do."_ Rukia darted away. I only caught a glimpse of her face but I saw how crushed she was.

Guilt crashed like a wave on me but when Kaien turned to me, I forced myself to look baffled. _"What's wrong?"_ I wondered. Perhaps it was Arisa's delicate and dreamy features that make her seem like a gullible person, and combined with my acting skills (honed from cheating my way out of detention from my previous life because I often did not pass up my homework in time), Kaien's face softened, obviously misinterpreting what I was really thinking ("That's it, Rukia, be crushed by guilt so Ichigo can have all your powers—").

_"Let's go, I'm going to introduce you to my brother and sister."_

I frowned._ "Girl?" _I pointed at the spot Rukia previously stood.

_"She needs time alone to clam down," _responded Kaien.

We left through the Western Gate, using Flash-Step even though I was sure Unohana-taicho forbade Kaien from using it as he was still resting and was in a delicate condition. "_You're pretty good at it._" He saw my blank expression and sighed. _"Man, how am I going to tell you that you make me proud when you don't understand a word I said?"_

Before I could respond, a loud cry interrupted me, _"Kaien!"_

_"Onii-chan!"_

I stepped aside when two figures came barreling into Kaien. It was a girl who seemed to be in her late-teens, long black hair flying. The other who clutched onto Kaien, bawling his eyes out, was a boy a few years my senior.

_"You're okay—"_

_"They said you were taken over by a Hollow—"_

_"Situation's very bad—"_

_"Damn those Shinigami! They won't let us in to see you!"_

_"Yeah! What're the worth of your clan status if we can't get our way?!"_

_"Whoa, kids, calm down!"_ Kaien said, laughing, finally managing to disentangle his younger siblings from him. I observed them curiously and Kaien felt my stare. He grinned at me. "_Hey, Arisu, don't stand there like a stranger—come on, closer._"

Recognizing the command, I took a few steps forward. I extended a hand for them to shake. Kaien scowled at his siblings, barking, "_Hey, she's being nice and you two ignore her like that?"_

The boy laughed nervously, darting forward. _"No, no, we wouldn't disrespect a special guest of Nii-san's."_ He took my hand and quickly shook it.

The teenage girl eyed me, a frown on her face. I arched a brow when I saw her missing arm. _"Is she the one?"_ she asked. Kaien nodded, grinning. She seized my underarms and plucked me off the ground. I yelled in shock, kicking out instinctively but not hard enough to seriously injure her. She scowled. _"They let kids as small as her in?"_

_"Hitsugaya-taicho is about her size. They're both tiny. Rangiku-san said she's very young for a soul, though. Died about a year back, twelve-years-old."_ His smile dipped slightly into a frown. _"She's too young to have died, don't you think?"_

_"Yeah, and signing up as a Shingami is a one-way ticket to death, like Miyako-nee—"_

_"Kukaku, please don't—"_

_"If you adopted her, get her to resign! She can go back in a couple of decades!"_

Kaien laughed dourly. _"She's too involved. I wanted to transfer her to the 13th Division so I can look after her better but Hitsugaya-taicho shot it down point-blank—apparently, for all the damage she caused, she owed 10th Division about a dozen years work of labor."_ He snorted. _"He just wants all the strong Soul Reapers drafted into his division."_

_"Sounds normal,"_ the boy piped up. _"I don't want weak people in my team, either."_

_"Oh, Ganju..._" Kaien sighed but Kukaku had another reaction.

_"Butt out of adults' affairs! Show your niece around the house—is this how you treat her?"_ Kukaku roared, startling both me and Ganju. I jumped and when Ganju grabbed me and high-tailed it out of there. I didn't resist, knowing that he was very much harmless and I had two Zanpakuto's to defend me.

I just wondered what was changing in the future now.

"Look, Arisu—"

I turned, frowning, only to see the magic the Shiba Clan often used and boasted about.

Ganju was demonstrating to me Earth Magic, moving his hand in a wave motion, the sign of the Shiba Clan. I rested my chin on my crossed arms, deciding to put aside all my worries and just concentrate on what he had to show me.

For now.

**:: :: ::**

* * *

**To Kenegi:** Yep, Hikaru will be useful in disarming opponents but that ability can only be used once 24 hours.

**[A/N]: Does anyone know why there's no weekly update of Bleach's newest chapter? I thought it's a weekly Wednesday thing. O.o**

Updated: 4/9/2014

Status: Unbeta'ed

**Review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Tite Kubo © Bleach**

_Italics_ in this chapter means that the person (Arisu) is speaking English.

* * *

**Beyond the Beyond**

**Chapter 6**

by GaleSynch

* * *

He was alive. He was _alive._

Somehow, that was surreal. "Kaien!" Someone was calling his name, repeatedly. Who? Was it that girl? The one with purple hair?

His first thought was that: what an odd coloring.

His second thought was: she saved my life.

Life... Miyako lost it... he planned on joining her, so why— He opened his eyes. blinked dazedly. "Uno... hana-taicho? Ne, are you dead too?"

A soft sigh. "Rest up, Shiba-kun."

He drifted in and out of consciousness for the next few hours, his wife was present in every dream. In his dreams, he always reached out to take her hand, always. But he couldn't seem to catch her hand. So when his fingers closed around a slender wrist, he was surprised.

"Miyako!"

His eyes snapped open. It was blurry at first but then the woman's face came into focus. He released her as quickly as he'd snatched her arm. It was Unohana-taicho; he grimaced. "Sorry," he croaked. "I just— what happened? Unohana-taicho... you can't be dead too, can you?"

A soft, sympathetic smile. "No, Shiba-san, I'm alive and so are you."

The sentence sent a jolt through his mind and despite her firm hand on his shoulder, meant to keep him on the bed, he jerked upward. He regretted it instantly as pain wracked his body—but only for a brief moment. He felt as if rust had gathered in his bones with the awkwardness of his movements and he wondered what had happened.

Ukitake-taicho related everything that had happened (from the bed next to Kaien's). They were all about to be goners but an unseated officer from the 10th Division had saved their lives. Kaien only felt a little embarrassed; the Captain and Lieutenant needing an unseated officer to save their hides.

"Gotta thank her," Kaien said. "Where's that kid?" The girl _was_ quite tiny.

"She's asleep, if you're wondering," His fellow Lieutenant Isane said. "She doesn't understand us, though."

"Ah, yeah," commented Ukitake-taicho. "She spoke in a completely different language. Weird kid." There was that tone Kaien was starting to get familiar with listening. His captain had something more to add about that girl but with Isane there, they couldn't say anymore.

Isane, always empathetic and so excellent at picking up other people's moods, seemed to know too. She smiled at them. "Get well soon. That girl, Arisu, is in the East Wing building if you want to see her later." And slipped away, pulling the hangings to hide them from sight.

"Taicho?"

"Hm?"

"Sorry... for not being able to protect you. And, I totally lost myself too." Kaien blinked, eyes stinging. "I just want to fight for Miyako one last time, I went into battle knowing full well that I'm not going to see the next sunrise and yet, here I am... So, I'm sorry for endangering you and Kuchiki."

Ukitake-taicho exhaled noisily. "No, it's no one's fault. You were fighting for your wife's memory, your pride and everyone's safety. Just don't be so reckless, next time. We won't be as lucky as tonight to have a wayward fellow Shinigami to defend us when things go bad."

"About her—"

"Kaien. Do you remember how her Zanpakuto looks like?"

Kaien frowned, trying to remember something after being taken over. "It was bright, like looking at the sun." He turned his head to look at his captain who frowned, troubled. "Why?"

"The twin katana's I saw her holding was dark. Did you hear the name? It's—"

"Un, Hikaru."

"I thought it was Onikirimaru or something—but the command was different, foreign and complicated."

Kaien's eyes widened at the implication. "She—has... two Zanpakuto's?"

"It wouldn't be good if word gets out. And, well, Kaien, handing over our savior would be a very rude way to repay her, wouldn't you agree?"

An hour later saw Ukitake waving Hitsugaya over, smiling tightly. "So, can you do us a favor?"

**:: :: ::**

Toshiro remembered the day the 10th Division had picked Arisu up.

Approximately fifty or more Hollows had appeared. It was so alarming it disturbed the tranquility within the walls of Seireitei. Being responsible for that district, the 10th Division had been dispatched. Hitsugaya and Matsumoto had went as more were appearing and the seated officers might not be able to handle it.

Imagine his surprise when he found no Hollows and no casualties.

Only a female soul unconscious, hands and legs chained.

Her spiritual energy was fluctuating, overbearing one moment and fading the next. A tear in space drew Hitsugaya's attention but Matsumoto dealt with it swiftly, Haineko swirling almost lazily to dispatch the Hollows.

"Taicho," said Matsumoto, in one of the rare moments she was serious. "I suggest we bring her back with us. If we leave her here, the Hollows will just keep coming. We can leave her at Shin'o Academy to be trained. Such strong spiritual energy would be a waste if she just spent the rest of her days here."

Hitsugaya grunted. Matsumoto was right. Leaving her here or anywhere not within the protected walls of Seireitei was begging for her to be killed. Training her to be a Shinigami was certainly the only way; the Gotei 13 certainly was lacking these days, their standards were lowering due to the abyssal results of the inductees.

With a sigh, he picked the girl up; she was light, unsurprisingly. Children in Rukongai were never fed properly, leaving them emaciated.

Her name was Arisu (at least, Toshiro assumed so) which was an odd name, Toshiro had never met anyone with such a name. Much less someone who didn't understand their language and spoke in a completely different language.

"I'm leaving her growth in your hands, Hitsugaya-taicho," said the Captain Commander.

Toshiro saw that coming from a hundred miles away. The rest of the Captains had pretended to be solid statues ("I ain't got no time for a prissy girl who passed out when she saw a damned Hollow." Kenpachi.) when the Captain Commander asked who was willing to take over—no one. Handing Arisu to Ichimaru Gin (a slick bastard who Toshiro never really trusted ever since they met) who volunteered was similar to attaching a bomb on her person and setting it off the next second.

Good thing Kyoraku shot Ichimaru down. But when he was being stared at ("Are you volunteering, Shunsui?"), started coughing. Ukitake probably would've volunteered if he wasn't absent. So, once again, Toshiro was stuck doing the hardest, most troublesome job.

Arisu didn't cause trouble but her tendency to stare at Toshiro while not actually seeing him was unnerving and annoying. She also messed up the orderly papers in a misguided attempt to help (ruining hours' of hard work but he didn't yell at her because she didn't understand and it was Matsumoto's fault for dumping everything on the small child).

She was hard-working and had a keen mind, he would give her that.

She grasped what he was demonstrating easily even though how she could chant Kido in another language was surprising and suspicious. He had always been a good judge of character and he could tell Arisu didn't really mean any harm, she was just lost, confused and sad. So he let her off.

Toshiro never saw her smile, not even when Matsumoto grinned brightly at her or when she cracked a joke, lending credibility to the fact that she cannot speak their language (or she was deaf to a certain degree, she turned when they called her name though).

Arisu was also helpful; he could hear the whispers and laughter of the Shinigami around him. Shouting at them meant that he acknowledged what they were saying about him, so he had kept silent.

He could feel Arisu's purple-eyed gaze boring into his back but he didn't react. He had been trying to decide which would be less-harder to eat. His favorite was—

A loud _bam!_ as Arisu jumped and slapped her palm on the button he had been (very) discreetly eyeing drew his attention. He would've berated her for cutting in line, by pushing him (the nerve!) but she handed him the coupon. "_Strawberry juice, right?_"

He berated her anyway but he was grateful, no one ever volunteered to help him or did it of their own initiation. Usually, he had one of his officers deliver his meals. But since he was passing by the mess hall anyway, he'd decided to just eat there, without troubling anyone.

And was reminded painfully of when he first became Captain and everyone ridiculed him behind his back (or in front of him, those idiots).

The one time he lost his temper on her was when she screwed up on a mission.

Just when he thought he could finally take a break, she caused a whole lot of trouble and landed him a mountain of paperwork. She ruined the Division's reputation and he must've shouted himself hoarse for hours at her before he dismissed her.

"Ne, taicho," griped Matsumoto the next day. They'd glanced out the window and had caught, for the fifth time, Arisu flash-stepping with a different coat this time. "Don't you think this punishment is too—well—harsh?"

If Matsumoto had been more observant, she would've noticed he'd stopped looking out to stop himself from caring. "No." _Maybe,_ muttered a small voice.

"But Kaito—"

"Can you finish your work in time? And don't think you can pile that paperwork on me."

Matsumoto made an impatient sound and before he can stop her, she darted off.

Toshiro scowled.

Ten hours later, Toshiro approached Ukitake who asked for a favor. "What?"

**:: :: ::**

Toshiro's eyebrows furrowed as he gazed at Ukitake and his Lieutenant, Shiba. "Transferring divisions? Arisu's fine where she is now." Toshiro didn't know how many times he'd repeated that for the last ten hours.

Unohana commented offhandedly that Arisu's Zanpakuto was unique and definitely would award her a high seat in the 4th Division. Toshiro doubted Arisu liked being a healer when she obviously like sparring with Yachiru and the others from the 11th Division and had to be dragged away.

Aizen thought she had a lot of potential and if Toshiro was stressed out, he would be willing to take over for him. Toshiro would give that Aizen had a paternal air about him that might soothe Arisu and he seemed to have the patience for the girl's antics. But Arisu screamed her head off when she first met him, so Toshiro said no in consideration of her fear. Her reaction to Aizen was odd since the man was one of the most popular Captains in history.

Perhaps a trauma from when she was alive—Arisu had died of murder, not a natural death.

Ichimaru? Hell no, Toshiro couldn't trust him with his laundry, much less the life of a subordinate who was obviously wary of Ichimaru and ran the other way when he was in sight. Tosen? No. Arisu had looked very uncomfortable, it might be because of the eyes.

Kurotsuchi? So Toshiro could come and see a failed specimen? Komamura? Arisu had sneezed no less than a dozen times when he was within vicinity. The other Captains could care less.

Still, they had made their offers.

And out of all of them, Ukitake had the most potential to be a proper caretaker to Arisu; he liked children and would be heartbroken when they disliked him. Arisu was a kid who saved his life, she was probably on the top of his list in the good book.

"Not around you, no," Shiba Kaien said. Insolent fool. Toshiro's eyes sharpened into a glare but Shiba wasn't cowed. "I can't trust Arisu in your hands—hands that killed a friend for the possession of a Zanpakuto—"

Bringing Sojiro up was like driving a dagger into Toshiro's frozen heart. "What?" his voice was barely above a hiss. "How dare you—who told you—" Stop. Calm down. "What does this have anything to do with Arisu? She's not my friend and we do not have the same Zanpakuto." He would've known if she had Hyorinmaru too (but, please, no, no, no—).

Shiba winced. Busted.

Ukitake sighed. "Promise this does not leave this room?" Toshiro considered that before nodding jerkily. "Eh, Arisu's Zanpakuto... doesn't have a form, does it?"

"...No."

"Nothing resembling two very lethal, grim katana?"

"No, just pure light or the chains around her hands when it's not in use. Get to the point, Ukitake."

"She has two Zanpakuto's," Ukitake said this with the air of one commenting on the weather. It was delivered so casually Toshiro nearly missed the point. "And it would not be in our nature to let our life-save die because of the rules of balance."

"We're not coined Balancers for nothing," Toshiro returned tightly.

Ukitake's face contorted into one of pain. "Toshiro, she's just a child."

"It's Hitsugaya-taicho to you," he returned automatically. But paused and considered. Arisu's record flashed into mind. Her data was automatically implanted into base once she became a Soul and was registered as a Shinigami. He'd just checked it to make sure there was nothing fishy about her.

_Birth Name: Arisa Antenor.  
Age: 11._  
_Date of Birth: January 26th._  
_Cause of death: Murder (crime committed by a Human, Kokuto)._  
_Soul Burial done by: Urahara Kisuke._

Ignoring who had sent her to Soul Society, Arisu was just an unfortunate girl who got killed. And now, barely a year in the afterlife, she was going to get killed—again—Toshiro could see where Shiba and Ukitake were coming from. Because she had two Zanpakuto's.

Toshiro wondered if Urahara had anything to do with it.

"Well, Hitsugaya-taicho? Don't worry, we'd handle the paperwork—"

"What're you talking about? Arisu's staying where she is. If there's anyone who can understand an anomaly in Zanpakuto's and what role it plays in its wielder's lives and deaths, it's me." He gripped Hyorinmaru (gained from the death of his best friend).

The thought of Onmitsukido swooping down on Arisu and killing her the same way they did Sojiro in was almost unbearable.

Why couldn't a Shinigami have two Zanpakuto's?

(Why couldn't a Zanpakuto have two wielders?)

Besides, Arisu deserved the chance to live. (The man who killed her would just have to wish he never met Toshiro.)

**:: :: ::**

It was marginally easy to make sure Arisu wouldn't be arrested and tried before the Central 46 (and the three of them were guilty by association) for being of such aberrant nature. Toshiro didn't confide in Matsumoto, worried that his Lieutenant would spill the beans when she was drunk.

It took a while to get Arisu to understand that she shouldn't tell anyone either and it was best to train by herself.

"_I'm not ambidextrous_," said Arisu to Juushiro, swinging her katana's around. The chains connected each katana to her and she was twirling it like it was a fan.

Ukitake smiled gently at Arisu, hefting his own Zanpakuto up, gesturing for her to attack him. She hesitated, glancing round at her foster father for confirmation; he nodded and she lunged.

"Slowly," Ukitake warned her, "you're not familiar with your left hand: that's okay. Mimic my attacks, all right?" Arisu nodded, but looked mildly irritated at the slow pace.

Kids, always so excitable, thought Ukitake fondly.

He slashed downward as carefully as possible, a second later, Arisu flung the same attack back at him with considerably more force and less caution. She probably thought that since he was a Captain, he would be invincible. His lips twitched into a smile. This was actually fun.

The two traded attacks back and forth, pace slowly increasing in terms of speed and power.

It wasn't until the second hour that Ukitake reached his limits; a cough wracked his frame and Arisu, who did not have reflexes quick enough to stop herself, slashed his torso open. She dropped her katana in shock, gaping at him.

"Sorry, sorry, I'm so sorry—I'll use Hikaru—"

"'S okay," grunted Ukitake, grinning weakly, and ruffling her hair even as his Lieutenant hurried forward to haul him to the Fourth Division.

Arisu deactivated her second Zanpakuto with a grimace, looping her chains around Ukitake, murmuring the command for her brilliant Zanpakuto. Instantly, Ukitake felt energy and vitality returning; he glanced down and watched with mild fascination as the chains glowed, the cut closing quickly, and the light extinguished.

"Continue?" Arisu looked hopefully at him.

"Against me this time," Kaien said, wishing to stop his captain from overexerting himself even though Ukitake's skin had more color to it than before. "You've got to get used to fighting different opponents. Come on." He dragged her away when she looked pointedly at Ukitake, obviously wanting to fight him instead of Kaien.

To be honest, Kaien felt a little insulted because Arisu looked quite disinterested ("Hey! What's with that insulting look?!"). She should be drafted into the 11th Division; this was _all_ Yachiru's influence.

This time Arisu kept her distance, swinging her right katana. She didn't move and at first, Kaien thought she was purposefully insulting him but then he noticed it— the purple energy swirling around her katana. She pulled back and flung it at Kaien who barely dodged out of the way.

He let out a small 'eep!' when he noticed the gouge in the earth.

"There goes that porch," said Ukitake fondly, as if this happened every time. "Well, I'll get Kiyone and Sentaro to clean this up,. Never you mind, Arisu-chan, keep on practicing... you'll get the hang of it soon."

Kaien gave his captain a dead-panned stare. "It's OK that she destroyed our division building?" Did Ukitake-taicho even hear the screams erupting from within the building?

"Come o_oooon_! I wanna fight—kill stuff!"

**:: :: ::**

"Yo, Jyuu-san, I heard you and your Lieutenant picked a kid up somewhere." Kyoraku stopped short, nearly running into someone very tiny. I glanced down at the purple-haired child that barely reached past his waist. "This the kid? Eh, you remind me of Nanao-chan when she's still young—...what're you doing, ojou-chan?"

For the young girl had taken to poking him in his gut. "Fly," she answered.

Kyoraku was positive she had not meant it the way it sounded. "What're you doing?" he asked, more slowly this time.

"Fly," she made sweeping motions, as if she expected Kyoraku to go flying backwards.

"I think she's trying to kick me out."

"Can't be," said Shiba Kaien, brows knitted as he looked at his foster daughter. "She knows the word 'get out' very well. Arisu-chan, he's a taicho. Be polite."

But Kyoraku had noticed what Kaien didn't. She was extending her index and middle finger, poking Kyoraku repeatedly. "Are you trying to perform Tsukiyubi?" he questioned.

She nodded, eyes lighting up in recognition and a small grin curling her lips. "You—smart!"

"Thanks!" he chirped. "So where did you learn about that?"

"Canju!"

"Can-what?" Kyoraku glanced at Kaien, baffled. Anyway, where was his long-time best friend? The white-haired captain was missing.

"She meant my younger brother, Ganju," Kaien offered. "Anyway, that's a very advanced Hakuda technique, Arisu. I don't think you can—"

"Mah, I'll teach you." Kyoraku beamed. "It's super easy!"

**:: :: ::**

"Hitsugaya-taicho gave her the fourth seat because she's a Shiba now... one of the Five Great Noble family..."

"Tch. She looks weak. What sort of skill did she have?"

"Hitsugaya-taicho is no different—he's the worst—"

Perhaps they thought Toshiro was deaf but the snow-haired captain had learned to ignore it long ago. What he didn't expect was for Arisu to stop walking and whirl in their direction.

"Shut up!"

"Arisu?" He was surprised but quickly covered it up. "Arisu!" he barked, trying to stop her from doing anything stupid or reckless. "Let's go."

"I challenge you, you stupid bastard!"

Toshiro stared at Arisu; since when did the purple-eyed girl learned such vulgar language? Wait. Did she just challenge an officer of higher rank? That was the fourth seat, Toshiro didn't think Arisu could defeat him yet— before he could so much as cry, "No!" the other guy yelled, "Bring it!"

Since when did his division started emulating the 11th Division's way out solving problems?

Toshiro groaned.

But a part, a tiny part that he wouldn't acknowledge, felt glad that she was defending him. No one had done that before.

"_Loser_!"

Toshiro sighed; she _really_ was trouble. "Oi, Arisu, get back here—!"

:: :: ::

* * *

.

Updated: 28/9/2014

Status: Unbeta'ed

.

**Question:** When I write from another perspective, whose pov do you want to see?

.

**Review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Tite Kubo © Bleach**

* * *

**Beyond The Beyond**

**Chapter 7**

by GaleSynch

* * *

"This your adopted kid?" Kukaku grunted, staring down at me with a critical eye. Behind her stood a child a few feet taller than me and was built heavily: nevertheless, he was a child. "What's her name again?"

"Arisu."

"Odd name."

"Yeah, well, she's an odd girl."

"And she's a Shinigami?" demanded Kukaru. I stared at her curiously.

"Yeah, isn't it obvious by her appearance? Shinigami don't let people parade around in their uniform without severe consequences, y'know?"

Kukau rolled her eyes. "You and your Shinigami pride. Isn't she, y'know, a bit too young?" Judging from her tone, she was mocking her older brother. I liked people similar to her; I beamed adoringly up at her. "Okay... you'r right. She's weird."

"Don't you hurt her feelings," muttered Kaien, placing a hand on my shoulder and smiling down at me. "Why don't you play with Ganju? He's dying to show off his Sand Magic."

"Yep!" chirped the youngest Shiba sibling. He jumped forward. "'M Shiba Ganju, nice to meet'cha!" And he bowed.

I mimicked him clumsily. "Uh, Arisu."

"Run along, kids."

Kukaku wasn't rude to me, it was just her nature. I got along well enough with Uncle Ganju. I spent the weekends with them and Kaien mostly, learning Sand Magic, playing and learning Japanese. Kaien and I trained often, aided occasionally by Ukitake-taicho.

I really liked the white-haired captain; he was gentle and sick as heck, but I still liked him and preferred sparring with him to Kaien. Yes, I know my foster dad was a lieutenant but his strength didn't show it much. I wanted stronger opponents, those that could give me a challenge, and frankly, Kaien didn't fit the bill.

Sadly, I could only spar with my Zanpakuto against three people: Hitsugaya, Kaien and Ukitake. I wanted a larger variety of people to fight with, to better my techniques. But the risk of getting prosecuted before Central 46 was too great for me to simply ignore. I didn't give a damn about rules, but I certainly gave a damn about the three men mentioned above: they were risking their positions and necks to ensure my continued existence, how could I repay them poorly by getting myself persecuted?

No. Just no.

It surprised me to this day that they accepted me so readily. Me, who was so obviously different from them. Me, who was separated from them simply by the language barriers. Me, who reeked of suspicion and no clear background could be provided.

Of course, I knew they were watching me still, gauging my loyalties and threat level.

Over the years, I rose to the position as a third seat. Not one of my division members could question my skills anymore. Not after the inter-division battle royal (that was held illegally in the tenth division barracks but whatever, Hitsugaya didn't know and nothing was hurting him because he was unaware) between the 10th and 11th divisions where I partook and kicked the snot out of their asses.

Sure, they still gave me weird looks when I started babbling in English (mostly insults towards them but they couldn't know and some of them even SMILED as I laughed at them!) but I'd learned to brush it off now.

Then there was the matter of the Three Musketeers—an awesome nickname I gave to the Aizen-Gin-Tosen team. They were up to no good as usual, but I could avoid them like the wind!

I was often with Yachiru and Kenpachi, or Rangiku, or Kaien so there was no chance of either of them cornering me alone. Tosen gave me sweets occasionally, and he was sort of nice—if you ignore his "justice must be served" rubbish and after he showed his true colors. Aizen was also super-nice (but I took off running when I saw him anyway). Gin was plain creepy and the only one I could act normally around; because avoiding and being shaken by creepy guys was totally normal.

The years blurred and occasionally, they combined into one, dreary night where I woke up and wonder where the years had gone by.

I'd nearly forgotten the main plot until I heard from Hitsugaya that there was a mission issued: to find and retrieve Kuchiki Rukia alive.

**. . .**

Renji and I nearly collided in a painful heap on our way to the 13th Division. I stumbled but managed to regain my footing. He failed, arms windmilling and ended up falling back. I didn't bother asking whether he was alright, I doubted he would be injured by a small fall like that.

I threaded past him—careful to avoid stepping on his limbs—and knocked on the door to my foster father's office. The one he shared with his captain.

"Enter," came Shiba Kaien's gruff voice. He saw me and smiled, the gesture not entirely masking the weariness in his eyes. There were dark rings around his eyes. I think he had been very worried about Rukia. How had I not noticed it before? "Hey, Arisu. Give me a sec, okay? I need to finish this report—"

"Rukia," I prompted. "Mission to get her?"

Kaien's eyebrow twitched. But before he could say anything, the door flew open once more. "Abarai-kun—"

"Kaien-fukutaicho!" Renji yelled, cutting in before he could finish. Which was quite rude if I might add. "Please let me go with her!"

Kaien looked alarmed. "What? I didn't say Arisu can go!"

"I want to— I'm _bored_!" I winced after saying that. Even to myself, I sounded like a child. "Uh, no—me help a lot!"

"Actually," started Kaien. "I was planning on going myself. But... I guess retrieving an unseated officer would not be so demanding, right? I suppose you two can go. But let me finish this report, okay?"

I crouched, paced and generally pulled the annoying card to get Kaien to finish his work faster. On the third round, Renji seized my collar and lifted me off the ground. "Oi, brat, can't you stop being so annoying?"

My legs were long enough to kick his crotch but before I could go through it and show him who's boss, Kaien's voice cut in, "Renji, put my daughter down, she can't help herself. Children are energetic," inadvertently saving Renji from being forever childless.

Renji huffed. "Yes, sir." He put me down.

"Bet you frustrated." Renji cracked an eye open to glare at me. Sure, he towered over me but he would need a lot more to intimidate me. I smirked. "Girlfriend Rukia already found a new boyfriend. Lame dick. Someone got dumped. Boo-hoo."

"Arisu!" exploded Kaien, looking scandalized. His paperwork laid ignored as he gawked at me. "Where did you learn_ that_?!"

"Ikkaku. Ken-chan. All of 11th Division." Renji's face was so red he could've made his hair look pink. I cackled as Kaien palmed his forehead, shaking his his head in utter misery. "Hurt Lobster's feelings. Boo-hoo, _boo-hoo_."

"Gah, you little—!"

"Arisu, Renji—OUT! This isn't a playground—argh!"

**. . .**

"Why is he here?" I hissed at Kaien. My foster father crossed his arms, looking utterly benevolent though his actions belied such. "I don't like that dick."

"Arisu, _language_," Kaien almost begged. I might just consider it.

I mimicked my father's stance and scowled up at Kuchiki Byakuya. Renji and I had beaten one another until we ended up in the 4th Division for treatment. He had to stay overnight while I only had to remain there for a few hours to mend my broken arm: the winner of the battle was so obvious it wasn't even funny. All of 6th Division must be incompetent for him to be able to make it as a lieutenant.

However, Kaien didn't share my sentiments: I should be the mission-leader since I was obviously stronger. So he'd asked Rukia's _loving_ older brother to accompany us. I saw, from Renji's expression, that he disliked this arrangement as much as I but he did not complain and forced his face into one of indifference.

"Shiba-dono," Kuchiki Byakuya acknowledged, nodding politely to Kaien—who was the clan head of one of the Five Great Noble Clans and blah, blah, blah. (I hate this prick who thought he was way above me just 'coz he was born a noble). His grey eyes narrowed slightly at me. Kaien batted my hand away before I could flip him the bird. "I would appreciate it if you would tell your daughter to behave."

"I'm behaving!" I exploded.

"Arisu, he isn't trying to challenge you. Pipe down or you're not allowed to go."

I sidled over to Renji's side and sulked all the way to the Senkaimon, glaring daggers at Kuchiki Byakuya; I could see Renji's sour expression from where I was walking and I felt a fierce rush of empathy towards him at the moment.

I watched as the Kido-users prepared the gateway to the World of Living and wondered what were my chances of high-tailing it to the other side of the world to see my if I still lived in the same world as my old family. Twenty years had passed and while the chances were less-likely, one couldn't say die without trying, right?

My doubts centered about whether or this world had other countries. Karakura Town did not exist in the real world map. Besides, the number of souls in Soul Society did not even begin to compare to the number of human beings existing. I was guessing that those with religions went to the afterlives of their religions while Soul Society existed for those that had no real beliefs.

I wondered how I ended up here.

Kaien's voice drew me out of my reverie. He placed his hand on my shoulder and spun me around to face him; he had to crouch to look me properly in the eye though. "Alright, Arisu, I don't want you screwing anything up."

I scoffed. "Tell that to Lobster."

"Hey!"

"I'll bring Rookie back," I chirped, patting Kaien's shoulder in reassurance.

"You won't cause trouble," intoned Kaien.

"Definitely."

"You will not play truant and disobey Captain Kuchiki."

"Duh."

**. . .**

So, ditching those two was exactly what I did. I was undoubtedly faster than Renji even with weights on, and Byakuya had too much dignity and pride to chase after me like a disheveled nanny (that Kaien had hired once to take care of me). So I was scot-free.

"Woo-hoo!" I sped around the human streets, no real destination in mind, other than to soak in the sight of the human world. I'd missed these so much. As a Shinigami, all I ever did was patrol the streets of Seireitei, maintain the peace in the Rukongai and purify Hollows: there was barely anytime for enjoyment.

Being a Shinigami was essentially a lifetime of service; it was the highest honor there was but also the greatest burden. I couldn't even retire if I wanted to. If I did, it was a one-way ticket to Maggots' Nest. I wonder if I asked nicely, would Urahara Kisuke let me live at his shop along with the other outcasts...

I mean, where was the fun in working all day and for the rest of your (after)life? No wonder Shihouin Yoruichi ditched the Shinigami and joined her childhood friends in the Human World. I bet the chick was having fun.

Unintentionally, I found myself scouting for high-spiritual beings. It wasn't until I found myself in front of the shop that I realized what I was doing. Never one to be cowed, I walked right in. It was a redheaded boy that greeted me. "Welcome to Urahara-shoten!" he chirped, grinning. "We have a large number of merchandise, kid. Name what you want and we'll—"

"Jinta-kun," interrupted a soft voice, "that's a Shinigami."

That last word triggered and instant reaction: the two grown men that lurked in the depths of this store materialized almost immediately.

"Shinigami-chan?" chirped the Hats-n-Clogs himself, fanning himself, grinning a grin so wide it could've split his face. "Mah, it's been years since we last saw each other! What do you need, Arisa-chan?"

I stared. "You know me?"

The broad-shouldered and thickset, tanned-skinned man adjusted his glasses. "Arisa-dono, did the transition not go smoothly? What memories do you lack?"

"I can't believe you know me!" I cried.

"I can't believe you wounded me," Urahara laughed, pulling his kimono back slightly, revealing the top of a scar running from directly below his collarbone to beneath. Since there were kids, he did not strip to show me everything.

I did that? I wondered in a daze. I gripped my chin, other arm wound tightly around my slight torso. "This is odd," I murmured. "Urahara, do you know anything about these chains?"

His grey eyes fell onto the chains linking my wrists and ankles. "I thought we established that they are unmovable?" he said, not really answering at all. I glared. "You haven't changed much. Did twenty years dull so much of your memory?" He chortled.

Tessai frowned deeply, leaning over to his boss and whispered furiously into his ear. Urahara looked unperturbed though Tessai seemed ill at ease. "True, true," said Urahara, "this might be a trick of the Shinigami but Arisa-chan won't betray us. She'll be in even more trouble than we'll be in!"

Was that... an indirect threat? I knew this guy was dangerous but it had seem insubstantial before; to really confront him now seemed unwise. I had tons of questions but my Japanese was not perfect, I could not ask overly complex questions without giving myself away as a complete stranger in Arisa's body.

"These chains are... strong. Cannot let go," I stated.

I saw Ururu and Jinta exchanged confused glances. Twenty years ago, they hadn't been born yet, much less know anything about their employers. Tessai subtly herded them out: clearly, this was a conversation not for their ears.

Urahara's eyes were cast by shadows, his fan obscured the lower-half of his face but I could feel his assessing eyes on me. "I wanna know. My own good." I placed a finger to my lips. "No telling boss. Promise."

"You really don't remember anything?"

"Nuh-uh."

Urahara gave me a full-blown beam, no distrust in his eyes. "So you succeeded? Turned over a new leaf, did you? That's wonderful news, Arisa-chan," he said, sighing somewhat wistfully. Was it because he couldn't? "What's the new name you've chosen for yourself?"

I pursed my lips, processing the new information. Was he insinuating that he knew Arisa would lose her memories? He hadn't accounted for the fact that I had taken over. Or... or I was Arisa and this Arisu was actually a fluke, a memory that was implanted by this overly suspicious dude that you shouldn't even trust with your laundry.

My head was splitting; now was not the time to think whether or not I was Arisa or Arisu. Behind me, the sun was setting. Byakuya would probably be sending Renji after me. He may not seem like it, but Byakuya and Kaien were on-off, somewhat friends and they liked one another in Byakuya's own way: letting Kaien's daughter, foster or not, run wild in the World of the Living was not an option.

My time here was limited—what I needed was more time to speak to Urahara. Here was the man who finally, finally had answers I craved and I had no time.

"Arisu," I eventually answered. "I was adopted after that. Became a Shiba. New name's Shiba Arisu."

"That'd make you Isshin's grandniece, eh?" I blinked and he shook his head with a fond smile. "Never mind."

"Gotta go, gotta find Kuchiki Rukia. Stuck-up Byakuya and Stupid Renji're here, too." My library of insults was cropped full, really.

"Why, it sounds like you're tipping us off." His grin was sleazily sly.

"I am, in exchange for info." I thrust my the chains into sight. "Why they can't be broken?" I pursued.

Urahara stared at the chains then looked into my eyes. "You seriously want to know? After all you've done to forget it?" His tone was light, however, in the darkening shop and the notable absence of anyone but us, enclosed in this store, it was ominous.

"I WANNA KNOW!" I exploded, temper and patience running thin.

If Urahara didn't like how I was screaming at him, he did not show it. He fanned himself as he spoke, as if he was flustered but I sensed distinct amusement and wryness and an uncertain emotion I couldn't exactly place. "These chains are a part of the force of Jigoku that is incarcerating the Togabito that have committed unmentionable crimes and sinned so badly in their human lives that there are no salvation for them. They are nearly impossible to destroy. Which is why the chains on you is indestructible."

I stared. "_English, please?_" He frowned, confused. So, as much of a genius he was, he didn't know English. "Write it down," I demanded. "Please," I added as an afterthought. "Need to get my friend to translate. 'M not very good at Japanese."

Urahara's brows furrowed. "You did say you were half-Japanese. Oh, right, memory loss. Forgot about that. Hehe. Caught the pun?"

"Hurry!"

Five minutes later, I had left Urahara Shop and ten minutes later, was reunited with Byakuya and Renji as a Quincy leapt into battle to assist my target.

**. . .**

* * *

**[A/N]:** How many of you saw that coming? I hinted it in an earlier chapter. A movie character appeared deeply connected to Arisu, so the chains' origin would be revealed. Arisa's history will also be revealed in a few more chapters. More on Urahara and Arisa in the upcoming arc where Toshiro &amp; co. are assigned to the World of the Living but feel free to make your theories.

**Question:** What sort of crime do you think Arisa committed?

_—Review!—_

_..._


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